SANDRA'S HOMEMADE APPLE-BANANA-CRAN BARS with CREAM CHEESE FROSTING

Very moist and flavorful homemade bars,
with a distinct hint of banana, apple and cinnamon,
including the pop here and there of delicious craisins... 

Yields (32 bars)

Prep: 10 Mins.

Bake: 20 Mins.

INGREDIENTS:

1/2 cup (1 stick) unsalted butter, room temperature

1-1/2 cups granulated sugar

2 large eggs

1 cup sour cream

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

2 cups all-purpose flour

1 teaspoon ground cinnamon

1 teaspoon baking soda

1/2 teaspoon double-acting baking powder (or regular)

1/4 teaspoon fine-grain kosher salt

1/2 cup mashed ripe banana (1 medium banana)

1/2 cup unsweetened applesauce

1/4 cup craisins, roughly chopped

--Cream cheese frosting (recipe below)

METHOD

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Line a 10x15" baking sheet with parchment paper, and spray top; set aside.

In a large bowl, cream together the butter and sugar until smooth. Beat in the eggs, then stir in sour cream and vanilla. Combine the flour, baking soda and salt; stir into the batter. Finally, mix in the mashed banana, applesauce, and chopped craisins.

Pour and spread batter onto prepared baking sheet, then gently shake side-to-side and tap baking sheet to distribute batter evenly. Bake for 20 minutes, until a toothpick inserted in center comes out clean.

Allow bars to cool completely for 30 minutes in pan place atop a baking rack.  Place baking rack on top and flip over to remove parchment paper.  Place baking sheet atop, then re-flip over to cool completely in baking sheet before frosting, then cut into 32 squares. ~ Enjoy!

CREAM CHEESE FROSTING (Yields 2 Cups)

Prep: 5 Mins.

1 (8 oz. pkg.) of cream cheese, at room temperature

¼ cup (1/2 stick) unsalted butter, at room temperature

2 cups of confectioners’ sugar (sift through a sieve to prevent a lumpy frosting)

1 tablespoon milk (adding more or less, depending on your desired consistency)

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

In a medium bowl, with a hand mixer cream together the cream cheese and butter, and mix in vanilla. Gradually stir in (with a spoon) the milk, and then the confectioner’ sugar; mixing until smooth.

SANDRA’S SUMMER CUCUMBER-ONION-RED BELL PEPPER SALAD

A wonderful refreshing, light and healthy

summertime salad that’s a great

accompaniment to any barbecue or main dish... 

Servings: (4)

Prep: 10 Mins.

INGREDIENTS

1 cucumber, peeled, cut in quarters lengthwise, then into ½” chunks

½ small yellow onion, thinly sliced

½ red bell pepper, cut into ½” pieces

¼ teaspoon freshly chopped oregano (or 1/8 teaspoon dried)

1 teaspoon freshly chopped sweet basil (or ½ teaspoon dried)

1 tablespon red wine vinegar

1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil

Kosher salt and freshly ground pepper to taste

METHOD

Add all ingredients to a small glass/ceramic (non-reactive) bowl, and toss to combine.  Refrigerate for 15 minutes prior to serving to allow flavors to meld.  Toss a final time, and serve. ~ Enjoy!

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Tip:  I made this salad with what I had on hand today, although feel free to also include fresh tomato wedges and kalamata olives if you wish, just increase the amount of red wine vinegar, extra virgin olive oil and herbs, accordingly.

SANDRA’S SMOKY GRILLED MINI SUMMER PIZZAS

A perfect lunch or dinner option, especially with homemade coleslaw as a side...

Servings:  2

Prep: 10 Mins.

Grill: 10 to 12 Mins.

INGREDIENTS

2 mini 8” Boboli pizza crusts, or one 12”

--(These crusts are thicker and perfect for grilling)

6 tablespoons pizza sauce

1 teaspoon balsamic vinegar

1 small garlic clove, minced

4 tablespoons medium shredded cheddar cheese

1 tablespoon finely chopped red bell pepper

1 tablespoon finely chopped red onion

1 teaspoon freshly chopped parsley

6 seeded kalamata olives, quartered lengthwise

4 tablespoon shredded mozzarella

2 tablespoons grated Parmesan

METHOD

Preheat charcoal grill.

Spread each crust with 3 tablespoons of pizza sauce, and drizzle both with ½ teaspoon balsamic vinegar.  Top crusts equally by dividing the remaining ingredients in half in order listed.

Place prepared pizzas directly onto grill, cover, and cook for 10 to 12 minutes, until cheese melts and pizzas are golden. ~ Enjoy!

I like to serve these mini pizzas with homemade coleslaw:

Best Homemade Coleslaw recipe 

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Tip:  If you prefer to bake these pizzas in an oven, place them on a sprayed baking sheet sprinkled with cornmeal and bake at 450 degrees on rack placed in lowest position.

SANDRA'S GRILLED COLA CHICKEN THIGHS with GRILLED CORN and COLESLAW

A superb barbecue option
that you'll be making quite often,
as it is a great "All-American" meal after all...

Servings: (6 = 2 pieces each)
Prep: 5 mins. |
Marinate: 4 hrs. |
Stand: 30 mins. |
Grill: 20 to 25 mins.

Posted by Sandra

INGREDIENTS

1-1/2 cups of your favorite barbecue sauce (I prefer Bull's Eye-Original)
2 tablespoons minced dried onion
1 (12 oz. can) Coke-a-Cola
12 bone-in skinless chicken thighs (I generally remove the skin myself)

METHOD

Add the barbecue sauce, minced onion, and coke-a-cola to a large ziploc bag, and mix to combine. Add chicken thighs to the ziploc bag make sure all chicken pieces are evenly coated with sauce. Seal bag and place in refrigerator for 4 hours to marinate, while turning over occasionally. Take out of refrigerator and let chicken return to room temperature for 30 minutes prior to grilling.

Meanwhile, preheat grill during so you have charcoal off to one side, as you’ll be cooking chicken over indirect heat (where no charcoal is below it). Before placing chicken thighs on grill, oil rack with an oil-soaked folded paper towel using tongs.

Grill the chicken, covered, for 20 to 25 minutes (longer if using chicken breasts, as they are thicker), while turning and basting with sauce after 10 minutes, and then continue grilling, just until juices run clear when centers of the thickest pieces are cut next to the bone (they should read 170 degrees when done).  Toss marinade.  Remove grilled chicken to serving platter and tent for 5 minutes before serving. - Enjoy!


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Tip:  I like to serve this meal with my other recipes of  Cajun Grilled Corn and Sandra's Coleslaw as shown in the photograph above.

SANDRA'S ALASKAN BEER BATTERED MUSHROOMS with GRUYERE CHEESE

My husband and I had a similar appetizer 
at a local eatery
so I just had to replicate them, 
and these
Beer Battered Mushrooms 
with Gruyere turned out identically yummy...

Servings: (6)
Prep: 10 mins. |
Cook 10 to 15 mins.

Posted by Sandra

INGREDIENTS

Note: Allow mushrooms to come to room temperature for 30 minutes before cooking, as cold mushrooms tend to condensate upon removed from refrigerator.

2 lbs. medium button mushroom, stems intact, cleaned with a dry paper towel
--(batter does not stick to wet mushrooms, so do not rinse with water)
peanut oil, for frying
¼ cup gruyere cheese, grated (or swiss cheese)
1 teaspoon freshly chopped parsley

Local
Alaskan Brewing Company
'Alaskan Summer'
Ale

***Beer Batter:
2 cups all-purpose flour, sifted through a sieve
1 tablespoon baking powder
1 teaspoon kosher salt
½ teaspoon freshly ground pepper
1 teaspoon garlic powder
1 teaspoon onion powder
1 teaspoon paprika
1 teaspoon Italian herb seasoning blend
1 bottle dark beer, cold (I use Alaskan Beer ;-)

---Serving options:
-Lemon wedges
-Ranch dressing, for dipping sauce
--(See recipe here: Ranch Dip or Dressing)

METHOD

Place a ovenproof serving platter in the oven at 275 degrees to warm.

Pour about 2 inches of oil into a deep fryer or electric skillet, and heat to 375 degrees.

Meanwhile, make the beer batter by sifting the flour and baking powder through a sieve into a medium bowl. Add the kosher salt, ground pepper, garlic and onion powders, paprika, italian seasoning, and beer, whisking until smooth.

Don’t over crowd the pan, and fry in batches. Begin by ‘lightly’ dipping dry mushrooms into batter, then carefully immerse into hot oil. Fry the mushrooms for a total of about 8 to 10 minutes, flipping half way through, until they are evenly golden brown. Drain the mushrooms on a paper-towel lined plate.

Meanwhile, remove the warmed serving platter from the oven, and turn the oven up to 350 degrees. Place hot mushrooms on warm platter and sprinkle with shredded gruyere cheese. Place in oven for a couple of minutes, just until cheese is slightly melted. Remove from oven, and warn guests that the platter is hot, sprinkle with parsley, and serve with lemon wedges, individual forks and plates, and small bowls filled with ranch dressing for dipping. Squeeze lemon over mushrooms, eat while hot. ~ Enjoy!


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Tip: Thinner batter makes for a lighter coating, and thicker batter makes for a heavier coating (all batter recipes may vary depending upon humidity in your area – so adjust to your liking by adding more beer to thin it, or more flour to thicken.) Also, this batter is very good for deep-frying onion rings and veggies, such as zucchini, broccoli, etc.

SANDRA'S SUCCULENT APPLE BUNDT CAKE

You'll be making this cake often 
during the summer
and fall apple season...

Servings: (12)
Prep: 20 mins. |
Bake1 hr. 30 mins.

Posted by Sandra

INGREDIENTS

***Cake
2 cups granulated sugar
3 eggs
1-1/2 cups canola oil
1/4 cup freshly squeezed orange juice
1 teaspoon of freshly grated orange zest
3 cups all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/4 teaspoon fine-grained kosher salt
1 tablespoon ground cinnamon
1 tablespoon vanilla extract
3 cups apples, peeled and finely chopped (about 3 medium apples)
1 cup shredded coconut (I prefer to slightly brown mine in a dry skillet beforehand)
1 cup raisins

***Sauce
1/4 cup unsalted butter
1/2 cup granulated sugar
1/4 cup buttermilk
1/4 teaspoon baking soda

METHOD

Preheat the oven to 325 degrees. Spray the bundt pan with baking oil, and set aside.

In a large bowl, with a hand mixer combine the sugar, eggs, oil, orange juice, flour, baking soda, kosher salt, cinnamon and vanilla extract; and mix until combined. With a wooden spoon, fold in apples, coconut, and raisins into batter. Pour the batter into the prepared bundt pan and bake for 1 hour and 30 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted comes out clean.

Adding the sauce 
so it absorbs into cake...

Meanwhile, just before the cake is done, begin making the sauce by melting the butter in a medium saucepan over medium heat. Stir in sugar, buttermilk, and baking soda, and bring to boiling point while stirring constantly, and then boil for 1 minute, and remove from heat. With a long skewer, poke holes into the hot cake, and then pour 1/2 the sauce over it - to help the sauce absorb into the cake use a pastry brush until sauce disappears.  Pour the remaining 1/2 of sauce over cake and continue letting it absorb using a pastry brush until sauce is fully incorporated.  Let cake stand in bundt pan for 1 hour, and then remove the cake by flipping it onto a rack to finish cooling. - Enjoy!


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Tip: I like to serve this wonderful cake with french vanilla ice cream and/or whipped cream.  You can also make this cake using alternate dried fruits, mixed nuts, and so on.

SANDRA’S BEST POTATO SALAD

When family and friends visit,
this is my most requested 
side dish of all time...

Servings (6 to 8)
Prep: 20 mins. |
Cook: 25 mins.

Posted by Sandra 

There are finite versions of potato salad recipes, i.e., some like it with dill versus sweet pickles, and so on, but this happens to be my favorite so I’d like to share it with you all.

INGREDIENTS

6 medium russet potatoes, whole/unpeeled (same size for even cooking)
6 eggs
2 green onions, finely chopped
1 cup celery, finely chopped
½ cup sweet gherkins, finely chopped (or sweet pickles)
3 tablespoons juice from sweet gherkins jar
1 tablespoon freshly chopped parsley (or 1 teaspoon dried)
¼ teaspoon salad elegance
¼ teaspoon onion powder
¼ teaspoon garlic powder
¼ teaspoon johnny’s seasoning salt
¼ teaspoon ground pepper
1 teaspoon lemon juice
2 teaspoons French’s mustard
2 cups mayonnaise (more or less to your desired moistness)

METHOD

Place 6 whole unpeeled potatoes in a large pot, and cover with cold water. Place on stove over high heat and bring to boil, reduce to medium-high heat and cook for 20 to 25 minutes, just until potatoes are tender in center when pierced with a paring knife or fork.

Meanwhile, during the same time, place all 6 eggs in a medium saucepan and cover with cold water, and place on stove over high heat and bring to boil. Reduce the heat to medium-high and cook for 15 minutes. Remove from stove and drain hot water. Refill pot with cold water to quickly cool the eggs.

Remove the potatoes from heat once done, and drain into colander. With tongs, place back into pot and run cold water over potatoes to quickly cool them. Once cooled, peel the potato skins using a butter knife, and cut into ½” cubes. Peel the eggs, and cut each into quarters, and then slice. Place all prepared potatoes and eggs into a large mixing bowl. Add the remaining ingredients and fold to combine. When serving you might choose to garnish with a light dusting of paprika and a sprig of fresh parsley. – Enjoy!

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Tip: It’s difficult to wait, although I prefer to place the potato salad in the refrigerator for a minimum of 2 hours to allow the flavors to meld.

SANDRA'S SUCCULENT COCONUT SHRIMP with a TANGY DIPPING SAUCE

A beautiful and tasty explosion of flavors
that will leave you oh so satisfied...

Servings (4)
Prep: 15 Mins. |
Stand time: 30 |
Cook: 4 Mins.

Posted: By Sandra

INGREDIENTS

***Shrimp:
24 medium shrimp, shelled (leaving tails intact), and de-veined

***Beer Batter
1 egg, beaten
1-1/2 teaspoons baking powder
2/3 cup Alaskan Summer Ale (or another medium-bodied beer)
1/2 cup all-purpose flour

***Dredging:
1/4 cup all-purpose flour
2 cups flaked coconut, chopped finer

3 cups peanut oil for frying (has a higher smoking point)

***Tangy Dipping Sauce:
½ cup orange marmalade
¼ cup dijon mustard
¼ cup honey
4 drops sriracha sauce (or tabasco)

METHOD

In a small bowl, make dipping sauce, and set aside.

Local Alaskan Summer Ale

In medium bowl, add egg, ½-cup flour, beer, and baking powder and whisk to combine. Place 1/4-cup flour in a separate small, flat dish. Also, finely chop coconut, and place in another separate small, flat dish.

Preheat warming oven to 175 degrees, and place pie plate inside.

While holding shrimp by tail, dredge in flour, and shake off excess. Dip in beer batter; allow excess to drip off. Roll shrimp in finely chopped coconut, and place on a baking sheet lined with wax paper. Refrigerate coated shrimp for 30 minutes.

Meanwhile, heat oil in electric skillet to 350 degrees (or in a dutch oven using a cooking thermometer). Cook in batches, so you don’t overcrowd them. Fry shrimp in batches only for a total of 4 minutes; turning once with tongs after 2 minutes. Remove shrimp to drain on a paper towel lined plate. Transfer batches of fried shrimp to warm pie plate in oven. Continue frying shrimp until done.

Serve warm coconut shrimp with the tangy dipping sauce, along with a couple of beers, i.e., local Alaskan Summer Ale ~ Enjoy!


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Tip: If using larger prawns, you might consider doubling the recipe.