Alana's Café's All Fools Chocolate Cake (Menu Madness- Year Six: Volume 12; March, 2016)

Prep time: 25 min

Cook time: 35 min
Ready in: 1 hour
Serves: 8- 12

Ingredients: 

3/4 c. + 3 T. milk

1 T. white vinegar

3 c. flour

1/2 c. unsweetened cocoa powder

2 c. sugar

1 tsp. salt

2 tsp. baking soda

2 large eggs

1 c. vegetable oil

1 c. boiling water

1 tsp. vanilla extract

Chocolate glaze (for serving)

Tahitian vanilla ice cream (for serving)

Directions:
- Preheat oven to 350
- Grease and flour two 9" cake pans
- Mix together milk and vinegar, and set aside
- Mix together flour, cocoa, sugar, salt, and baking soda
- Make a well in center of dry mixture, and add eggs, oil, and milk mixture
- Beat well
- Add vanilla and boiling water, and mix well
- Pour batter into prepared cake pans

- Bake until done, about 35 min

- Cool slightly

- Slice

- Drizzle each slice with chocolate glaze

- Serve each slice with a scoop of ice cream


*Michele found recipe here

Outback Steakhouse's Wedge Salad (Menu Madness- Year Six: Volume 12; March, 2016)

Prep time: 15 min

Cook time: 30 min
Ready in: 45 min
Serves: 4- 8

Ingredients: 

DRESSING:

3/4 c. mayonnaise
3/4 c. buttermilk
1/2 c. blue cheese- crumbled
1/4 tsp. garlic powder
1/4 tsp. onion powder
1/4 tsp. pepper

GLAZE:

1/4 c. balsamic vinegar
1 t. honey
1/4 tsp. salt

SALAD:

3 slices bacon- cooked, drained, finely chopped
1 head iceberg lettuce- trimmed, quartered
1/2 c. tomato- finely diced
1/2 c. red onion- finely diced
1/4 c. blue cheese- crumbled

Salt, to taste

Pepper, to taste

Directions:
- Combine all dressing ingredients, stirring well
- Chill until ready to use
- Place glaze ingredients in a very small, non-stick saucepan and cook over low heat, swirling pan frequently, until it is thick and syrupy, about 5 min

- Stir in the salt and keep slightly warm
- Place a wedge of lettuce on each serving plate and drizzle with some dressing

- Sprinkle each wedge with tomato, red onion and blue cheese

- Drizzle glaze over each

- Sprinkle each wedge with salt and pepper, and serve

*Jen found recipe here

Town's Sesame Seared Tuna with Lime Ginger Vinaigrette (Menu Madness- Year Six: Volume 12; March, 2016)

Prep time: 14 min

Cook time: 6 min
Ready in: 20 min
Serves: 2- 6

Ingredients: 
3 T. black sesame seeds
3 T. white sesame seeds
1 lb. ahi tuna fillets
1 tsp. wasabi paste
1 T. vegetable oil
1 T. lime juice
1 tsp. grated fresh ginger
3 T. avocado oil

Salt, to taste

Pepper, to taste
2 large handfuls salad greens

Directions:
- In a shallow bowl, mix all sesame seeds
- Pat tuna very dry
- Smear a bit of wasabi paste on each side of tuna
- Cover fillets in sesame seeds- pressing in on all sides
- Season fish with salt and pepper
- Heat a frying pan over medium-high heat and add vegetable oil

- When oil is shimmering, carefully lay tuna fillets in pan, not touching

- Cook for 2 min, then flip; lower heat if seeds brown too quickly

- Cook 2 min, then flip fillets to side and cook 1 min

- Flip one more time, to cook last other side for 1 min, so that you have a good sear on all sides

- Remove from heat, and thinly slice
- In a small bowl, whisk together lime juice, ginger and oil

- Season with salt and pepper to taste
- Toss 2 T. vinaigrette with salad greens

- Spread salad on serving platter
- Arrange tuna over salad

- Drizzle remaining vinaigrette over fish, and serve

*Liz found recipe here

Pazzo's Rigatoni with Broccoli and Sausage (Menu Madness- Year Six: Volume 12; March, 2016)

Prep time: 25 min

Cook time: 25 min
Ready in: 50 min
Serves: 6

Ingredients: 
1 lb. rigatoni
4 c. broccoli- cut into florets
1/4 c. olive oil
2 garlic cloves- minced
1 T. lemon zest- finely grated
2 T. lemon juice
1/2 tsp. salt
1/4 tsp. pepper
1 lb. sweet Italian sausage- casings removed
Parmesan cheese- grated (for serving)

Directions:
- In a large pot of boiling, salted water, cook pasta according to package instructions
- In last 2 min of cooking, add broccoli and cook until bright green and crisp-tender
- Reserve 1 c. pasta water
- Drain pasta and broccoli
- Meanwhile, in a small bowl, whisk together oil, garlic, lemon zest and juice, salt, and pepper
- Cook sausage over medium-high, breaking up meat with a wooden spoon, until browned and cooked through, 8- 10 min
- Remove from heat
- Combine meat, pasta and broccoli, and oil, tossing well to combine and adding enough pasta water to create a thin sauce that coats pasta
- Serve sprinkled with Parmesan

*Julie found recipe here

Moosewood's Vegetarian Chili (Menu Madness- Year Six: Volume 12; March, 2016)

Prep time: 3- 4 hours, 30 min

Cook time: 45 min
Ready in: 4- 5 hours, 15 min
Serves: 6- 12

Ingredients: 
2 1/2 c. dry kidney beans
8 c. water
1 T. salt
1 c. tomato juice
1 c. bulgur
2 tsp. olive oil
4 garlic cloves- crushed
1 1/2 c. onions- chopped
1 c. carrots- chopped
1 c. celery- chopped
1 tsp. basil
1 T. chili powder
1 T. ground cumin
Pepper, to taste
1/8 tsp. cayenne pepper
1 c. green bell peppers- chopped
2 c. tomatoes- chopped
Juice of 1 lemon
3 tsp. tomato paste
3 tsp. dry, red wine
1/3 c. cheese (for garnish)
1/4 c. parsley- chopped (for garnish)

Directions:
- Put kidney beans in a saucepan, cover them with 6 c. water, and soak for 3- 4 hours
- Add remaining water and 1 tsp. salt

- Cook until tender, about 1 hour
- Watch water level, and add more if necessary
- Heat tomato juice to a boil
- Pour over raw bulgar,  cover, and let stand at least 15 min
- Sauté onions and garlic in olive oil
- Add carrots, celery and spices
- When veggies are almost done, add peppers and cook until tender
- Combine beans, bulgar, sautéed veggies, tomatoes, lemon juice, tomato paste, and wine and stir until well mixed

- Cook until heated through
- Serve topped with cheese and parsley

*I found recipe here

Jack in the Box's Tacos (Menu Madness- Year Six: Volume 12; March, 2016)

Prep time: 15- 20 min

Cook time: 15 min
Ready in: 30- 40 min
Serves: 6- 12

Ingredients: 

1 lb. ground beef (for Recipe Club, Jen used turkey)

1/3 c. refried beans

1/4 tsp. salt

2 T. chili powder

1/4 c. taco sauce

12 corn tortillas

3 c. vegetable oil

6 slices American cheese- cut in halves diagonally

1/4 head lettuce- finely chopped

Directions:
- Slowly brown meat over low heat, using a wooden spoon to chop and stir meat, keeping it very fine

and smooth

- When meat is browned, drain fat

- Add refried beans and use wooden spoon to smash any whole beans into mixture

- Remove from the heat

- Add salt, chili powder, and 2 T. of the taco sauce

- In another skillet, heat 1/4" oil until hot enough that a small piece of tortillas bubbles when dropped

into it

- Spread an equal amount of mixture on center of each tortilla

- Fold tortillas over and press so that filling holds sides together

- Drop each taco into hot oil and fry on both sides until crispy

- When cooked, remove tacos from oil and place on a rack until cooled slightly

- Pry open each taco slightly and add 1/2 slice cheese, lettuce, and about 1 1/2 tsp. taco sauce

- Serve hot

*Jen found recipe here

Chili's Queso Dip (Menu Madness- Year Six: Volume 12; March, 2016)

Prep time: 5 min

Cook time: 10- 15 min
Ready in: 15- 20 min
Serves: 4- 8

Ingredients: 
16 oz. Velveeta- cut into cubes
3/4 c. Milk
1/2 tsp. cayenne pepper
1 (15 oz.) can chili with no beans
2 tsp. chili powder
2 tsp. lime juice
1/2 tsp. cumin

Tortilla chips (for serving)

Directions:
- Heat all ingredients in pan over medium heat stirring frequently until melted and combined
- Serve hot, with tortilla chips

*Karen found recipe here

Mini Lemon Curd Cheesecakes (Perfect Pair- Year Six: Volume 11; February, 2016)

Prep time: 30 min

Cook time: 12- 15 min
Cool time: 1 hour, 5 min
Ready in: 1 hour, 47- 50 min
Serves: 6- 12

Ingredients: 

CHEESECAKES:

2 (8 oz.) pkg.'s cream cheese- softened
3/4 c. sugar
2 eggs
1 tsp. vanilla extract
1 c. graham crackers- crushed
1/2 c. lemon curd

WHIPPED CREAM:
1 c. heavy whipping cream
2 T. sugar

Directions:
- Preheat oven to 350
- Grease mini muffin tin
- Fill each muffin cup with 1 T. graham cracker crumbs
- Use a spice jar or small kitchen tool to firmly press crumbs into pan
- In a large mixing bowl, beat together cream cheese and sugar
- Add eggs, one at a time

- Add vanilla extract and beat until mixture is light and fluffy

- Pour cream cheese mixture into pan, filling each muffin cup to 3/4 full
- Bake 12- 15 min

- Turn off oven, leave door slightly open and allow cheesecakes to cool for 5 minutes before removing from oven

- Cool completely on wire rack, about 1 hour

- Just before serving, whisk together sugar and cream in a cold bowl until stiff peaks form
- Top each cheesecake with 1 tsp. lemon curd

- Pipe whipped cream on top

*Julie found recipe here

Irish Cream-Topped Brownies (Perfect Pair- Year Six: Volume 11; February, 2016)

Prep time: 30 min
Cook time: 23- 26 min

Cool time: 3 hours
Ready in: 3 hours, 53- 56 min
Serves: 6- 8

Ingredients: 
BROWNIES:

1 (10 1/4 oz.) box fudge brownie mix

1/4 c. vegetable oil

2 T. Irish cream liqueur

2 eggs

TOPPING:

1 c. heavy whipping cream

1/4 c. milk

1/4 c. vanilla instant pudding and pie filling mix

3 T. Irish cream liqueur

1 chocolate-covered toffee candy bar- crushed

Directions:
- Heat oven to 350

- Grease bottom only of 8" square pan with shortening

- In large bowl, stir all brownie ingrdients with spoon until blended, about 50 strokes

- Spread batter in pan

- Bake until toothpick inserted in center comes out clean, about 23- 26 min

- Cool completely, about 1 hour

- In medium bowl, beat whipping cream, milk, pudding mix and liqueur with electric mixer on high speed until soft peaks form, 4- 6 min

- Spread mixture over cooled brownies

- Sprinkle with crushed candy

- Cover and refrigerate at least 2 hours before serving

*Anne found recipe here

Cucumber Avocado Caprese Salad (Perfect Pair- Year Six: Volume 11; February, 2016)

Prep time: 15 min

Ready in: 15 min
Serves: 4- 6

Ingredients: 

1 T. olive oil
2 T. balsamic vinegar
1 tsp. garlic powder
Salt, to taste

Pepper, to taste

2 cucumbers- diced
1 pint cherry or grape tomatoes- halved
2 avocados- diced
2 T. basil- chopped
1 c. mozzarella- small balls or chopped into bite-sized pieces

Directions:
- Mix oil, vinegar, and spices until well combined
- Place remaining ingredients in a large bowl
- Pour dressing over salad, and mix well
- Enjoy immediately

*Michele found recipe here

Sautéed Broccoli with Mint, Basil & Pine Nuts (Perfect Pair- Year Six: Volume 11; February, 2016)

Prep time: 10- 15 min

Cook time: 20- 30 min
Ready in: 30- 45 min
Serves: 4- 6

Ingredients: 
1 lb. zucchini- sliced into 1/2-inch rounds (Karen used shredded broccoli for Recipe Club!)
3 T. oil
3 small cloves garlic
20 mint leaves
10 basil leaves
1 T. capers- rinsed
1 1/2 tsp. red wine vinegar
2 T. pine nuts- lightly toasted

Salt, to taste

Pepper, to taste

Directions:
- Heat 1 T. olive oil in a 10" skillet over medium-high heat
- When oil is hot, add 1/2 lb. zucchini and sauté, flipping and turning every few minutes, until golden brown, about 15 min
- While zucchini cooks, chop together garlic, 10 mint leaves, 5 basil leaves, and capers so that they intermingle and turn into a sort of knife pesto
- When zucchini is golden, remove from pan and cook remaining zucchini in 1 T. oil
- Add first batch back into pan, along with herb mixture and vinegar
- Add nuts, salt, and pepper and toss well
- Tear remaining mint and basil, for garnish
- Put zucchini in serving dish and garnish with torn herbs

*Karen found recipe here

Chicken Piperade with Pilau Rice... aka: "A Pot of Loveliness" (Perfect Pair- Year Six: Volume 11; February, 2016)

Prep time: 30 min

Cook time: 1- 3 hours
Ready in: 1- 3 hours, 30 min
Serves: 4- 6

Ingredients: 
CHICKEN:

1 T. flour

Salt, to taste

Pepper, to taste

3 1/2 lb. chicken thighs
2 T. olive oil
2 onions- thickly sliced
2 garlic cloves- lightly crushed
4 red bell peppers- seeds removed, thickly sliced
1 T. tomato paste
5 T. dry sherry
5 T. white wine
1 (14 oz.) can diced tomatoes
1/2 tsp. cayenne pepper

1 1/2 tsp. paprika
1 1/2 tsp. sugar
2 T. parsley- finely chopped

RICE:
2 T. vegetable oil
1 onion- finely diced
6 whole cloves
1 cinnamon stick
1 c. rice
3 c. water
2 bay leaves
1 lemon- sliced

Directions:
- Preheat oven to 350
- Sprinkle flour onto a plate and season with salt and pepper
- Dredge chicken pieces in flour
- Heat 1 T. olive oil in a large frying pan over medium heat
- Sauté chicken until golden brown, 2- 3 min per side
- Remove from pan using a slotted spoon, and transfer to an ovenproof casserole dish
- Heat remaining olive oil in same pan
- Sauté onions, garlic and peppers until just softened, 4- 5 min
- Stir in tomato paste, and continue to sauté for 1- 2 min
- Pour in sherry and wine
- Bring mixture to a boil
- Stir in tomatoes, cayenne pepper, paprika and sugar and return to boil
- Season with salt and pepper, to taste
- Pour sauce over chicken
- Cover and bake until chicken is cooked through and no trace of pink remains, peppers are tender, and sauce has thickened slightly; 1- 3 hours (the longer this cooks, the tastier it gets)
- About 30 min before chicken is done heat vegetable oil in a large, lidded frying pan over medium heat
- Add onion and sauté until softened but not browned, 2- 3 min
- Add cloves and cinnamon and cook until fragrant, another 1- 2 min
- Add rice and stir well to coat in oil
- Pour in water and stir again
- Add bay leaves and 2 lemon slices
- Cover pan with lid and reduce heat until just simmering
- Cook rice until it is just tender, and all liquid has been absorbed, about 15- 20 min
- Remove cinnamon stick, lemon slices, and bay leaves before serving
- To serve, stir parsley into chicken and season again with more salt and pepper, to taste
- Serve with pilau rice, garnished with remaining lemon slices

*I found recipe here

Burrata with White Wine and Garlic Sautéed Tomatoes (Perfect Pair- Year Six: Volume 11; February, 2016)

Prep time: 10 min 

Cook time: 13- 19 min
Ready in: 23- 29 min
Serves: 4- 8

Ingredients: 
1 baguette
1 T. olive oil, plus more for garnish
3 tomatoes- diced
2 cloves garlic- minced
1/4 c. pinot grigio
1/8 tsp. salt

1/8 tsp.  pepper
8 oz. burrata- room temperature
1 T. basil- chopped

Directions:
- Preheat broiler
- Slice the baguette into 1" slices and place on a baking sheet
- Lightly drizzle baguette slices with 2 tsp. olive oil
- Place under broiler and toast until lightly golden, about 3- 5 min
- Flip and toast the other side until lightly golden, about 2- 4 min
- Remove from oven and set aside
- Heat remaining oil in a sauté pan over medium heat

- Add tomatoes, garlic, wine, salt, and pepper

- Bring to a simmer and cook until wine is reduced by half, about 8 to 10 min

- Place burrata into a serving dish

- Pour sautéed tomatoes over cheese and garnish with basil

- Serve with toasted baguette slices

*Jen found recipe here

Caramelized Onion Tart with Gorgonzola and Brie (Perfect Pair- Year Six: Volume 11; February, 2016)

Prep time: 10 min

Cook time: 50 min
Ready in: 1 hour
Serves: 4- 8

Ingredients: 
2 T. olive oil
4 c. onions- thickly sliced
1 T. brown sugar
2 T. balsamic vinegar
1/2 tsp. salt
1/2 tsp. pepper
8 oz. puff pastry- defrosted, if frozen
2 oz. Brie cheese- chilled, rind removed, diced
2 oz. blue cheese- diced
2 T. tarragon- chopped

Directions:
- Heat oil on medium-high heat
- Add onions and cook until starting to brown,  about 10 min
- Add sugar, vinegar, salt and pepper
- Reduce heat and cook, uncovered, until caramelized, about 20- 25 min
- Let cool
- Preheat oven to 400
- Line a baking sheet with parchment paper
- Roll pastry out to desired thickness and shape
- Place pastry on prepared baking sheet
- Prick pastry with a fork several, scattered times
- Spread onions over pastry, up to the edges
- Dot with cheese
- Sprinkle with tarragon
- Bake until cheese has melted and pastry is crispy, about  18- 20 min
- Cool for 5 min before serving

*Dina found recipe here

Bacon Wrapped Blue Cheese Stuffed Dates (Perfect Pair- Year Six: Volume 11; February, 2016)

Prep time: 10 min

Cook time: 25 min
Ready in: 35 min
Serves: 6- 12

Ingredients: 
1 (24 oz.) pkg. bacon
16 Medjool dates- pitted
3 1/2 oz. blue cheese- softened

Directions:- Preheat oven to 350
- Stuff each date with 1 tsp. blue cheese, re-sealing dates over cheese after stuffing
- Cut each slice of bacon in half
- Wrap each date with a half slice of bacon, spear with a toothpick, and place on a baking sheet
- Bake until bacon is crisp, 25- 30 min

*Dina found recipe here

Brussels Sprouts Pizza with Balsamic Red Onions (Perfect Pair- Year Six: Volume 11; February, 2016)

Prep time: 20 min

Cook time: 15 min
Ready in: 35 min
Serves: 2- 8

Ingredients: 
ONIONS:
1- 2 T. olive oil
2 medium red onions
1/4 tsp. crushed, red pepper flakes
1/8 tsp. salt
1/4 c. balsamic vinegar

BRUSSELS SPROUTS:
8 oz. Brussels sprouts
2 tsp. olive oil
Salt, to taste

Pepper, to taste

PIZZA:
1 batch pizza dough
1 3/4 c. mozzarella cheese- grated
1/4 c. Parmesan cheese- grated
Pepper, to taste (for garnish)
Crushed, red pepper flakes (for garnish)

Directions:
- Preheat oven to 425
- If you have a pizza stone, place it in oven to preheat with oven
- Thinly slice onions
- Slice tough ends off of Brussels sprouts and discard
- Pull individual leaves from around outside of one Brussels sprout, then trim off newly exposed tough end, continuing until sprout is broken into leaves
- Repeat for about half of the Brussels sprouts
- Thinly slice remaining sprouts, slicing from bottom
- Drizzle sprouts with 1 1/2 tsp. olive oil and toss well
- Rub oil into sprout leaves until lightly coated, adding remaining oil only if necessary
- Toss with a sprinkle of salt and pepper and set aside
- Warm 1 T. olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat
- Add onions, crushed red peppers, and salt
- Toss to combine
- Cover and cook, stirring occasionally, until onions are soft, about 10 min
- Pour in balsamic vinegar and stir to combine
- Continue cooking, uncovered, until vinegar has condensed and mostly absorbed into onions, 3- 5 min
- Remove from heat and set aside to cool
- Prepare pizza dough as directed, rolling the dough out on parchment paper, as thin as reasonably possible while maintaining an even surface level
- Transfer dough, on parchment paper, to stone or baking sheet and bake for 10 min
- Remove crust from oven and top with an even layer of red onions, mozzarella cheese, Brussels sprouts, and Parmesan cheese (in that order)
- Return to oven and bake until crust is golden, cheese is bubbly, and Brussels sprouts are crispy on the edges, about 5- 10 min
- Top pizza with a light sprinkle pepper and red pepper flakes, slice, and serve

*Jen found recipe here

Prosciutto Wrapped Cantaloupe (Perfect Pair- Year Six: Volume 11; February, 2016)

Prep time: 20 min

Ready in: 20 min
Serves: 6- 12

Ingredients: 
1 cantaloupe
6 oz. prosciutto

Directions:
- Cut cantaloupe in half and scoop out seeds
- Using melon baller, ball the cantaloupe
- Cut each piece of prosciutto into 1" strips (you can do width- or length-wise, as long as the finished strips are long enough to wrap around the melon balls)

- Wrap a melon ball in a strip of prosciutto, spear it with a toothpick- making sure to get both ends of prosciutto on the toothpick, and place on a serving plate
- Repeat with remaining cantaloupe and prosciutto

Bloody Mary Shrimp Dip (Perfect Pair- Year Six: Volume 11; February, 2016)

Prep time: 15 min

Chill time: overnight
Ready in: 8 hours, 15 min
Serves: 4- 8

Ingredients: 
1 (8 oz.) pkg. cream cheese- room temperature
1/3 c. mayonnaise
3 1/2 T. bloody mary mix
1 1/2 T. Worcestershire sauce
1 1/2 T. lemon juice
1 T. hot sauce
1 1/2 tsp. onion- minced
1 tsp. parsley flakes
1/4 tsp. pepper
1/4 tsp. salt
1 lb. medium sized shrimp- cooked

Crackers or veggies (for serving)

Directions:
- In a medium bowl, mix together cream cheese and mayonnaise until smooth
- Add all remaining ingredients, except shrimp, and mix until combined
- Gently fold in shrimp
- Cover and refrigerate overnight before serving
- Serve with crackers or vegetables


*Aurora found recipe here

Coconut Cream Pie Dip (A Time to Shred- Year Six: Volume 10; January, 2016)

Prep time: 40 min

Cook time: 10- 15 min
Ready in: 50- 55 min
Serves: 4- 8

Ingredients: 
3/4 c. sugar
1/4 c. cornstarch
2 c. half and half
4 egg yolks
3 T. butter
1 1/4 c. coconut- shredded
1 1/2 tsp. vanilla extract
8 oz. Cool Whip- thawed to room temperature
Toasted coconut (for garnish)

Graham crackers (for serving)

Directions:
- In medium sauce pan, combine sugar and cornstarch
- Add half and half and egg yolks and whisk until well combined
- Bring to boil over medium heat, stirring constantly
- Boil 1 min
- Remove from heat and stir in butter, coconut, and vanilla
- Pour into medium bowl, cover with saran wrap directly on the filling, and let sit until cool
- Once completely cool, stir in thawed cool whip
- Serve with graham crackers


*Julie found recipe here

Grandmother's Oatmeal Coconut Cookies (A Time to Shred- Year Six: Volume 10; January, 2016)

Prep time: 30 min

Cook time: 8- 9 min
Ready in: 38- 39 min
Serves: 12- 24

Ingredients: 
1 1/2 c. brown sugar
1 c. sugar

3/4 c. butter- softened
2 eggs
1 T. vanilla extract
2 c. flour
1 tsp. baking soda
1/2 tsp. salt
1/2 tsp. baking powder
1 c. oats
1 c. crispy rice cereal
1 c. flaked coconut

Directions:
- Preheat oven to 350
- Beat sugars and butter together with an electric mixer, in a large bowl, until smooth

- Add 1 eggs and blend into butter mixture

- Add remaining egg, and vanilla, and blend
- In a separate bowl, stir flour, baking soda, salt, and baking powder together

- Beat flour mixture into butter mixture until just incorporated into a dough

- Fold oats, crispy rice cereal, and coconut into dough, mixing just enough to evenly combine
- Drop cookie dough by teaspoonful onto baking sheet
- Bake until browned, 8- 9 min

- Cool cookies slightly on baking sheets before moving to cooling racks to cool completely

*Anne found recipe here