Strawberry Cream Puff Cake

Recipe From: My Kitchen Cafe

Cream Puff Base:
5 tbsp butter
2/3 cup water
1 tbsp sugar
2/3 cup flour
3 eggs

Cream Cheese Mixture:
4 ounces cream cheese (softened)
1 tsp fresh orange zest
1/2 tsp vanilla
1 cup heavy whipping cream
2/3 cup powdered sugar

2 cups strawberries (sliced)

For the cream puff layer, preheat the oven to 375 degrees. Bring the butter, water and sugar to a boil in a medium saucepan. Add the flour all at once and stir quickly until the mixture pulls away from the sides of the pan. Remove the pan from the heat and stir the mixture until smooth. Let cool for 5 minutes. Add the eggs one at a time and beat until the mixture is shiny with a satiny sheen. Don’t overbeat. Lightly grease the bottom and sides of a 9-inch springform pan (or in a pinch, you could use a 9-inch circle cake pan). Using an offset spatula, spread the mixture on the bottom and one inch up the sides of the prepared pan. Bake for 20 minutes. Remove from the oven and prick pastry with a toothpick 10-12 times. Return to the oven and bake 5 minutes more until golden brown but not overbaked (you can insert a toothpick into the center and if it comes out with sticky dough, it still needs longer in the oven). Cool completely.

For the cream cheese mixture, beat the cream cheese until smooth. Gradually add the powdered sugar (if you want to ensure there are no lumps, sift the powdered sugar into the cream cheese) and beat with the cream cheese until mixture is smooth and light. Add the remaining ingredients and beat until stiff peaks form. Spread onto the cooled cream puff shell.

Top with fresh sliced strawberries (I mixed 2 cups of strawberries with 1 teaspoon sugar and let them hang out in the fridge while I was prepping the cake) or you can use a 16-ounce bag of frozen strawberries that have been thawed. Mix the thawed strawberries and juice with 1-2 teaspoons sugar and bring to a simmer in a saucepan. Cook until slightly thickened. Cool completely and use as topping for the cake.

Lemon Cream Chicken & Mushrooms

Recipe From: The Kitchen CafeIngredients:

1/2 cup flour

1/2 tsp salt and pepper
3 boneless skinless chicken breasts
1/4 cup butter
1 cup chicken broth
1 cup whipping cream (divided)
3 tbsp lemon juice
1/2 pound fresh mushrooms (sliced)

In a large skillet, cook chicken in butter for 8-9 minutes on each side or until juices run clear. Remove chicken and keep warm.

Add broth to the drippings. Bring to a boil over medium heat; stir to loosen browned bits from the pan. Simmer, uncovered for 10 minutes or until broth is reduced approximately 1/3 cup. Sir in 3/4 cup cream, lemon juice and mushrooms. Cook over medium-low heat for 5 minutes.

Combine remaining flour and cream until smooth; stir into skillet. Bring to a boil; cook and sir for 2 minutes or until thickened. Return chicken to skillet and heat through.

Creamy Cranberry Dressing

Recipe From: The Recipe Club Blog

Ingredients:
1 cup sugar or splenda

2 tsp dry mustard
1 tsp salt
2/3 cup vinegar
2 heaping TBSP mayo
2/3 cup Craisins
1 1/2 - 2 cups vegetable oil

Measure all ingredients, except oil, in the blender or food processor. Blend until combined. with the blender or processor on medium, pour in the oil in a slow & steady stream until the dressing emulsifies. Store in an air tight container in the fridge.

Salad #1

fresh baby spinach
sliced fresh mushrooms
roasted & salted shelled sunflower seeds
grated mozzarella cheese
sweetened dried cranberries

Salad #2

spring mix lettuce
red grapes, halved
crumbled Gorgonzola cheese
roasted shelled pistachios
sweetened dried cranberries

Fresh Fruit Bruschetta

Recipe From: Our Best Bites

We had this as an appetizer for Easter Dinner.
It was really easy and super yummy!

1 baguette (sliced)
4 tbsp butter (melted)
2 tbsp granulated sugar
1/2 tsp ground cinnamon

1 cup strawberries (diced)
1 cup finely diced mango (finely diced)
1 cup kiwi (finely diced)

1/2 cup sour cream
3 tbsp honey
1 tsp orange zest

Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Slice bread into 1/2 inch slices. Place in a single layer on a foil-lined baking sheet. Use a pastry brush to brush each piece with melted butter. Combine cinnamon and sugar and sprinkle evenly over bread slices. Bake for 10-12 minutes or until edges are toasted. Set aside to cool.

While bread is toasting, combine Sour Cream, honey, and orange zest. Stir to combine and place in the fridge. Combine strawberries, mango, and kiwi and stir gently to combine. When bread is cooled, place about 1 Tbsp. of fruit mixture on top of each toasted bread slice and drizzle with sweet sour cream mixture. If needed, thin sour cream sauce with 1/2-1 tsp orange juice. Garnish with mint leaves if desired. Serve immediately.

Scalloped Potatoes

Recipe From: Food Network

This went perfect with our Easter Dinner of honey-baked ham, spinach-strawberry salad, rolls and fresh fruit brushetta. Michelle and Melissa get full credit on this one!Ingredients:

2 garlic cloves (smashed)
3 tbsp unsalted butter
3 lbs Yukon Gold potatoes (peeled and sliced thin)
3 cups half and half
1/2 cup creme fraiche
2 tbsp flour
2 tsp fresh thyme (chopped)
1/4 cup fresh chives (chopped)
1/4 tsp ground mace
2 1/2 tsp salt
pepper to taste

Rub garlic all over the inside of a 3 qt round baking dish. Grease the dish with about 1/2 tbsp butter. Slice the potatoes about 1/8 inch thick (mandoline).

Combine in a large saucepan with minced garlic, 2 1/2 tbsp butter, half and half, cremem fraiche, flour, thyme, mace, 2 1/2 tsp salt and pepper to taste. Bring to a boil over medium-high heat and cook until the mixture thickens, about 1-2 minutes. Stir in the chives and transfer to the prepared baking dish. Layer potatoes and mixture in the dish. Bake, uncovered, until the potatoes are fork-tender...about an 1 hour 5 minutes...occasionally spooning some of the liquid over the top. You can also make the scalloped potatoes in individual ramekins, bake about 40 minutes.