Mary M. Cupcakes and Frosting

 Use a Duncan Hines cake mix and mix according to directions adding a small box of instant pudding and 1/4 cup of oil. 

For a chocolate cake add chocolate fudge pudding. For a red velvet cake add cheesecake pudding, for a lemon cake add lemon pudding. For a carrot cake add pumpkin or butterscotch pudding. 

For a fancy frosting brush gel coloring on sides of pastry bag. Fill with frosting and pipe it out. 

Fillings are in the pie filling section or use pudding mixed with half and half and just half the amount of milk that it specifies on box. 

Frosting

8 tblsp crisco

1 tblsp vanilla extract

4 cups conf sugar

8 tblsp milk or half and half

1/8 tsp salt

For chocolate add cocoa and pinch of salt

Taste it as you go. If too sweet add more crisco. 

Use beater first, then whip to incorporate air. 

Keep covered from air. 

Sue’s Caesar Salad Dressing

 2 cloves garlic

1 can flat anchovies with oil

2/3 cup olive oil

Process until pulverized

I use a cuisinart stick mixer to blend everything together  

Then add one coddled egg (a microwave one egg in the shell in 2 cups water for 1 minute)

Black pepper and a handful of pecorino Romano cheese  finish blending  

Ricotta Meatballs - so good

2 lbs ground beef or you can use pork/beef mixture

Olive oil for sauté 

1/2 onion

8 cloves garlic, chopped

2 beaten eggs

1 cup whole milk ricotta, I like Galbani ricotta

1 cup panko crumbs

1/2 cup fresh chopped parsley

1/4 cup fresh mint

1 cup grated pecorino Romano cheese

Salt and pepper

In a bowl, mix panko and ricotta and let it rest for 20 minutes. 

Sauté onion and garlic. Mix all ingredients except the meat and then add the panko/ricotta mixture. Add the meat and mix together well. 

Brown in frying pan, finish cooking in oven 375 degrees for about 20-30 minutes. I don’t cook in the sauce because they fall apart. These meatballs are very moist and delicious. 

Rib Rub

 1/4 cup paprika

1/8 cup kosher salt

1/4 cup garlic powder

3 tablespoons onion powder

1/8 cup chili powder

1/2 tablespoon black pepper

1/2 teaspoon cumin

1/4 teaspoon cayenne powder

Mix ingredients together. Use on ribs or pork roast.  

Italian almond paste cookies-Make these from now on.

 2 egg whites

1 pound almond paste (grated)

2/3 cup sugar

1/2 tsp salt

1/2 tsp vanilla extract

1/2 cup almond flour

Directions:

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.  Grease a baking sheet, line with parchment paper or silicone mat  

Use a hand mixer instead of a stand mixer because the batter will be runny  

In a medium bowl beat the egg whites until frothy and opaque white  

Grate the almond paste and add to the beaten egg whites and sugar, salt and vanilla .

Use a pastry bag with large tip and pipe onto cookie sheet.

You can decorate with half a maraschino cherry dried well or sliced almonds or toasted pine nuts  

Bake 13 minutes  cool on cookie sheet but not for too long or they stick  

Mary’s pumpkin cannoli dip

 1 can pumpkin

Butterscotch or pumpkin instant pudding

8 oz cream cheese

Pumpkin pie spices

Chocolate chips

Mix pumpkin and pudding. Add spices and cream cheese and beat with a beater. Serve with cannoli chips or pipe into cannoli shells. 

Ann’s autumn Salad

 Salad greens

Toasted walnuts

Apples chunks

Sliced grapes

Goat cheese

Good seasons balsamic dressing