Linsey's Mandarin Salad, Alma's Potato Salad & Mona's Cous cous salad

Linsey's Mandarin Salad


1/4 cup sliced almonds
1T plus 1t sugar
Lettuce- I used feuilles de chenes and feuilles pommes
1 cucumber thinly sliced in moons
1 medium green onions, thinly sliced (2 tablespoons)
1 can mandarin orange segments, drained

1. Cook almonds and sugar in sauce pan over low heat, stirring
constantly, until sugar is melted and almonds are coated; cool and
break apart

 2. Make sweet-and-sour dressing (below)

 3. Toss almonds, dressing and remaining ingredients


Sweet-Sour Dressing

1/4 cup vegetable oil
2 T sugar
2 T white or cider vinegar
1 T chopped fresh parsley (flat Italian)
1/2 t salt
dash of pepper

Whisk all ingredients in a blender.

Alma's Potato Salad

Ingredients

• 2 pounds clean, scrubbed new red potatoes
• 6 eggs
• 1 pound bacon
• 1 onion, finely chopped
• 1 stalk celery, finely chopped
• 2 cups mayonnaise
• salt and pepper to taste

Directions

1. Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Add potatoes and cook until tender but still firm, about 15 minutes. Drain and set in the refrigerator to cool.
2. Place eggs in a saucepan and cover with cold water. Bring water to a boil and immediately remove from heat. Cover and let eggs stand in hot water for 10 to 12 minutes. Remove from hot water, cool, peel and chop.
3. Place bacon in a large, deep skillet. Cook over medium high heat until evenly brown. Drain, crumble and set aside.
4. Chop the cooled potatoes, leaving skin on. Add to a large bowl, along with the eggs, bacon, onion and celery. Add mayonnaise, salt and pepper to taste. Chill for an hour before serving.

GREEK SALAD

cucumber

tomato

green pepper

Italian parsley

red onion

Kalamata olives

Greek feta

couscous (optional)

DRESSING

fresh squeezed lemon juice

olive oil

fresh ground black pepper

Greek spice mix (I bought mine in the US, and it's running out, so I may have to find a recipe to make my own)

fresh chopped mint (optional)

fresh chopped oregano (optional)

fresh thyme (optional)

That's it! It's super-easy, if you don't mind chopping, and so refreshing. The feta and olives make it filling, and if you add couscous or eat it with a fresh baguette (or some other delicious bread) on the side I find it's a great meal. 

Enjoy! 

Hummingbird Vanilla Cake

For the cake:

 2 cups plain flour

1 ¼ cups caster sugar

1 ½ tsp baking powder

a pinch of salt

80g unsalted butter, at room temperature

240ml whole milk

2 egg

½ tsp vanilla extract

For the vanilla frosting:

250g icing sugar, sifted (I didn't convert b/c it's half a pkt in Sing and GVA)

80g unsalted butter, at room temperature

25ml whole milk

a couple of drops of vanilla extract

For the cake:

Preheat the oven to 170°C (325°F) Gas 3.

Put the flour, sugar, baking powder, salt and butter in a freestanding electric mixer with a paddle attachment (or use a handheld electric whisk) and beat on slow speed until you get a sandy consistency and everything is combined. Gradually pour in half the milk and beat until the milk is just incorporated.

Whisk the egg, vanilla extract and remaining milk together in a separate bowl for a few seconds, then pour into the flour mixture and continue beating until just incorporated (scrape any unmixed ingredients from the side of the bowl with a rubber spatula). Continue mixing for a couple more minutes until the mixture is smooth. Do not overmix.

Spoon the mixture into the paper cases until two-thirds full and bake in the preheated oven for 20–25 minutes, or until light golden and the sponge bounces back when touched. (since I make the cake and NOT cupcakes, I use 2 9inch pans and bake for around 35 min)

A skewer inserted in the centre should come out clean. Leave the cupcakes to cool slightly in the tray before turning out onto a wire cooling rack to cool completely.

When the cupcakes are cold, spoon the vanilla frosting on top and decorate with hundreds and thousands.

For the vanilla frosting:

Beat the icing sugar and butter together in a freestanding electric mixer with a paddle attachment (or use a handheld electric whisk) on medium-slow speed until the mixture comes together and is well mixed.

Turn the mixer down to slow speed. Combine the milk and vanilla extract in a separate bowl, then add to the butter mixture a couple of tablespoons at a time. Once all the milk has been incorporated, turn the mixer up to high speed.

Continue beating until the frosting is light and fluffy, at least 5 minutes. The longer the frosting is beaten, the fluffier and lighter it becomes.

Red & Yellow Pepper Soup

1/4 cup butter

1 large onion, chopped

2 cloves garlic, minced

1/2 pound (500 grams) tomotoes, seeded and chopped

1/2 pound (500 grams) red peppers, seeded and chopped

5 cups chicken stock

1/2 pound yellow peppers, seeded and chopped

1 tablespoon cornstarch

1/4 cup almonds

1/2 slice white bread

1/2 cup cream

Divide butter, garlic, and onion between two pans and sauté.  Add

tomatoes, red peppers and half of stock to one pan.  Add yellow

peppers and half of stock to the other pan.  Simmer each until peppers

are soft- about 20 minutes.  Puree each in a blender or food

processor.  Pureé the almonds, white bread, and cream with the yellow

pepper soup.  Put both soups back in pans.  In a small bowl, mix

together cornstarch with 1 tablespoon water.  Add to red pepper soup.

Serve separately or pour the yellow pepper soup into the middle of

each bowl of red pepper soup.

Triple Berry Trifle

I love trifle and pudding desserts, they are so pretty (and easy)!

Bake a regular yellow cake mix in a 9x13 and let it cool.

Make 1 pkt of raspberry jello, set aside (but do not refrigerate).

Make 2 pkts of vanille instant pudding.  Instead of using milk, use half full milk and half cream.

Wash and prepare 1 pkt each of raspberries, blueberries and sliced strawberries.

All you do is layer:  cake, spoon raspberry jello ON the cake, throw in the berries, spread the vanilla pudding.  Repeat 2x.  Allow to set in fridge overnight.  Just before serving, top with whipped cream, shaved chocolate, and extra berries.