Chocolate Frosting

This is the best chocolate frosting I have ever had. I got it from one of my favorite cook books, Chocolate From the Cake Mix Doctor. It makes enough to frost a 2 or 3 layer cake, or a bunch of cupcakes and some to eat with a spoon

8 T (1 stick) butter, cut into pieces, and melted in the micro
2/3 C unsweetened cocoa powder
3 C powdered sugar
1/3 C sour cream
1 t vanilla extract

Place melted butter in large mixing bowl. Add cocoa and whisk until smooth. Add powdered sugar and sour cream, continuously whisking or blending. Add vanilla. Beat until fluffy.


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Salmon in Lemon Brodetto with Pea Puree

Made this last night for Kalea's first day of preschool. Our friends, the Jones' had invited us over for dinner a month ago and made this dish. It was a hit - the girls loved the fish and the pea puree. Pea puree may sound unappetizing but it's DELISH!

We also had beautiful red potatoes - Candice's recipe.

Candice's YUMMY red potatoes

Wash them
Boil them - until tender but not soft
Halve them
Toss them in olive oil, salt, pepper and Italian seasoning.
Then pan fry them, white flesh side down, in olive oil - until the white side is golden brown.
Flip them and fry them on the skin side too.
(these are seriously addictive)

Salmon in Lemon Brodetto with Pea Puree
Recipe courtesy Giada De Laurentiis

Prep time: 25 min
Cook time: 15 min
Yield: 4 servings


Lemon Brodetto:
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 shallot, diced
2 lemons, juiced
1 lemon, zested
2 cups chicken broth
1 tablespoon chopped fresh mint leaves

Pea Puree:
2 cups frozen peas, thawed (about 10 ounces)
1/4 cup fresh mint leaves
1 clove garlic
1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1/2 cup extra-virgin olive oil
1/2 cup grated Parmesan

Salmon:
1/4 cup olive oil
4 (4 to 6-ounce) pieces salmon
Kosher salt
Freshly ground black pepper

To make the Lemon Brodetto, warm the olive oil in a medium saucepan over medium heat. Add the shallots and saute until tender, about 7 minutes. Add the lemon juice, zest, and broth. Bring to a simmer, and keep warm, covered, over low heat.
To make the Pea Puree, combine the peas, mint, garlic, salt, and pepper in a food processor and puree. With the machine running, add the olive oil in a steady drizzle. Transfer the pea puree to a small bowl and stir in the Parmesan. Set aside.

To make the Salmon, warm the olive oil in a large, heavy skillet over high heat. Season the salmon pieces with salt and pepper. Sear the salmon until a golden crust forms, about 4 to 5 minutes on the first side. Flip the fish and continue cooking until medium-rare, about 2 minutes more depending on the thickness of the fish.

To assemble the dish, add the tablespoon chopped mint to the Lemon Brodetto and divide between 4 shallow dishes. Place a large spoonful of Pea Puree into the center of each bowl. Place a salmon piece atop each mound of Pea Puree. Serve immediately.

White Chocolate Popcorn

This is a easy, yummy treat my sister made for me while I was visiting her in Colorado recently.

Chocolate popcorn

Mix the following in a bowl: popcorn (either 1 bag of popped microwave popcorn OR about 1/2 cup of kernels air popped) and then add any of the following optional ingredients - 2 cups pretzels, 2 cups chex cereal, 1/2 bag mini marshmallows, nuts, M&Ms, peppermints, etc.

Melt in the microwave: 1 bag of white chocolate chips and 1/2 brick of vanilla almond bark. Pour wet mixture over dry, stir until well coated, let cool on cookie sheet. Drizzle dark chocolate over the mixture. Serve when cooled. Store covered if you have any left over. Keeps very well.

Amazing Ribs

I got this tip from Cooking Pleasures Magazine, and it made some awesome ribs yesterday in about 1 1/2 hours

1. Rub your baby backs with a sugar-less spice rub (I like BBQ of America from Penzey's)

2. Toothpick them in a circle (so they look like a Crown Roast)

3. BBQ them standing up, covered for 30 minutes. Then flip them onto the other side and cover and grill for another 30. They should be almost done at this point.

4. Un-pin and lay flat, saucing with sauce, for another 15 minutes or until done.

The easiest, quickest ones we have ever made!