(via bb-blog)

I took the opportunity to use all the leftover ham and bacon I still had in the fridge.  This recipe has a ton of spinach but it was flavorful enough that we didn’t even need to dump salsa on it.

Dense cake; not as moist as I would have hoped, but still delicious.

Ingredients

3 cups Gold Medal® all-purpose flour

1 teaspoon baking powder

1/4 teaspoon baking soda

1/4 teaspoon salt

1 cup butter or margarine, softened

2 cups powdered sugar

4 eggs

2/3 cup milk

2 tablespoons lemon juice

2 teaspoons grated lemon peel

1 cup shredded zucchini (about 1 medium), squeezed to drain

1 cup powdered sugar

1 tablespoon butter or margarine, softened

1 tablespoon half-and-half

2 tablespoons lemon juice

1 teaspoon grated lemon peel

Instructions

• Heat oven to 350°F. Grease 12-cup fluted tube cake pan with shortening; lightly flour.
• In medium bowl, mix flour, baking powder, baking soda and salt with spoon; set aside.
• In large bowl, beat 1 cup butter with electric mixer on medium speed about 2 minutes or until creamy.  Beat in 2 cups powdered sugar.  Add eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition.  Add flour mixture to butter mixture alternately with milk, beating well on low speed after each addition.  Beat on low speed 1 minute.  Stir in lemon juice, lemon peel and zucchini.  Spoon into pan.
• Bake 50 to 60 minutes or until toothpick inserted in center comes out clean.  Cool 15 minutes in pan.  Remove from pan onto serving plate.  Cool completely, about 1 1/2 hours.
• In 1-quart saucepan, heat all glaze ingredients just to boiling over medium heat, stirring constantly; remove from heat. Let stand 30 minutes until slightly thickened.  Drizzle over cake.

photo: Good Heavens Baking Blog

I have seen some reviews for this recipe online that say the recipe is average, or just okay … but we loved it.  I made it exactly as the cookbook states and it was fantastic.  We have tons of leftovers and trust me, it will all be devoured.

Ingredients

• 2 slices bacon, minced
• 4 teaspoons vegetable oil
• 2 onions, minced
• 1 tablespoon tomato paste
• 2 teaspoons minced fresh thyme (or 1/2 t. dried)
• 1/4 cup all-purpose flour
• 5 cups low sodium chicken broth
• 1 lb red potatoes, scrubbed and cut into 1/2-inch chunks
• 1 carrot, peeled and sliced 1/4-inch thick
• 2 bay leaves
• 1 1/2 lbs boneless skinless chicken thighs, trimmed
• salt
• pepper
• 1 red bell pepper, cut into 1/2-inch pieces
• 1 (15 ounce) can creamed corn
• 1/2 cup heavy cream
• 2 teaspoons minced canned chipotle chili in adobo seasoning
• 3 tablespoons minced fresh basil or 3 tablespoons cilantro

Directions

1. Cook bacon in a 12-inch skillet over medium heat until crisp, 5-7 minutes.
2. Stir in 1 tablespoon oil and onions and cook until softened, 5-7 minutes.
3. Stir in garlic, tomato paste, and thyme and cook until fragrant, about 30 seconds.
4. Stir in flour and cook for 1 minute.
5. Whisk in 2 cups broth, scraping up any browned bits; transfer to slow cooker.
6. Stir remaining 3 cups broth, potatoes, carrot, and bay leaves into slow cooker.
7. Season chicken with salt and pepper and nestle into slow cooker.
8. Cover and cook until chicken is tender, 4-6 hours on LOW.
9. Transfer chicken to cutting board, let cool slightly, then shred into bite-size pieces.
10. Let soup settle for 5 minutes, then remove fat from surface using large spoon; discard bay leaves.
11. Microwave bell pepper with remaining teaspoon oil in bowl, stirring occasionally, until softened, about 3 minutes.
12. In separate bowl, microwave cream corn until hot, about 3 minutes.
13. Stir softened peppers, hot creamed corn, shredded chicken, cream, and chipotles into soup and let sit until heated through, about 5 minutes.
14. Stir in basil, season with salt and pepper to taste, and serve.

Link: Family Art Day photos on flickr

Excellent book.  I have very low expectations of all self-help type books, and still, I am usually disappointed so it was really nice for a change to read a book that gave tons of great advice on small changes I could make today.  Easily.  This book also isn’t afraid to play nice with others – tons of great coaching tips with additional resources were listed at the end of every section.  I plan on reading this one again.