Baked Rice and Sausage Balls

Ingredients:

1.5 lbs breakfast sausage (I used Jimmy Dean's w/Sage)
2 boxes Rice-a-roni (I used 1 Italian Herb variety and 1 4-Cheese variety)
Chicken broth or stock
1/2 diced onion
2 cloves garlic, minced
1-2 T olive oil
1 T minced fresh parsley
2 C Panko breadcrumbs
3 T butter

Using a large saucepan, prepare Riceroni according to package instructions.  ***Substitute chicken broth/stock for water.  I used 3 parts broth to 1 part water for less sodium and to ensure broth flavor didn't overpower the other ingredients.  Set aside to cool. Rice will become firmer so that it will hold its shape better later on.

In a frying pan saute onion and garlic in olive oil until tender.  Combine with rice in saucepan and add minced parsley.  Set aside.

In same frying pan that you sauteed onion and garlic, melt butter over medium-low heat and Panko.  Stir continually until nicely browned.  Remove from heat.

Shape rice mixture into balls and roll in Panko.  Place on sheet pan.  Bake at 375* for 20 minutes.

Yields approximately 12-14 2" balls or 24 1-1/2" balls.

Vanilla Bean Snow Cream

It's been snowing all day here in NW New Jersey; the light fluffy stuff that looks like clouds of diamonds when the moonlight shines over it.  I was looking out my back door and admiring its beauty, but at the same time thinking how good it would taste as a snow cone since it was new, untarnished snow, totally free of any sand, salt or debris.  Brilliantly white and also perfect for enjoying in a dish with a few ingredients added ... Snow Cream!

Ingredients

About 8 cups of fresh, clean snow
1 can sweetened condensed milk
1 T vanilla bean paste

Mix all ingredients together in a large bowl and scoop immediately into serving bowls.

Variations:
Chocolate: Add in 3-4 T Hershey syrup
Coffee:  Mix 1 T espresso powder with 1/4 c water. Microwave for 15 seconds and cool completely. Add along with sweetened condensed milk and bean paste.
Almond:  Add in 2 tsp. almond extract
Cherry: Add in 1 - 2 T cherry syrup from a jar of maraschino cherries
Snow cones: Scoop snow only into cones made from parchment paper and drizzle with snow cone syrup





I scream, you scream, we all scream for snow cream!

The Ultimate Frozen Mud Pie

I don't give in to cold temperatures, I defy them.  Doesn't matter what time of the year, this flavorful version of mud pie is one of my all-time favorites.  I had a hankerin' for it the other day, and once that happens, nothing can stop me.  It does like this:

Crust:
2 rows of Oreo sandwich cookies, crushed
3 T melted butter

Ice Cream Layer:
1/2 gal. Coffee Ice Cream, any brand, softened

Fudge Layer:
3 oz. unsweetened chocolate
3 T butter
1 c granulated sugar
1 12 oz. can evaporated milk
Pinch of salt
1 1/2 tsp vanilla

Top Layer:
1 1/2 c. heavy cream
1/3 c. Kahlua
1/4 cup confectioners' sugar

Butter a 9x13 dish.  Mix crust ingredients and press into bottom of dish.  Chill in freezer for 10 minutes.
Remove from freezer and spread softened coffee ice cream over the crust.  Return to the freezer until ready to add fudge layer.
In the mean time make the fudge layer.  Melt chocolate and butter in saucepan.  Add sugar, milk and salt.  Bring to a boil stirring continuously.
Lower heat and cook, stirring occasionally, until thickened.
Remove from heat, add vanilla and mix well.  Chill until cooled completely.
Spread over ice cream layer.  Return to freezer for 20 minutes.
Whip heavy cream, Kahlua & sugar until stiff peaks form.  Spread over top.  Freeze.
For best results, remove from freezer 15 minutes before serving.

This is out of this world!

Heavenly Almond Bars

Attention all almond paste lovers!!  This one is for you!!


Crust 
2 cups flour 
1 teaspoon baking powder 
1 teaspoon salt 
3/4 cup butter, softened 
3/4 cup sugar

Filling 
1/2 cup instant potato flakes 
8 ounces almond paste 
1 1/4 cups confectioners' sugar 
1/2 cup water 
1 egg 
1 teaspoon cinnamon 
1/2 teaspoon cardamom

Directions:

Combine everything for the crust. Blend with a mixer until particles are fine. Press half of it in an ungreased 13x9 pan.
Combine everything for the filling, Spread over the crust. Sprinkle with remaining crust mixture.
Bake at 375 for 25 - 30 minutes. Cool; cut into bars.

It's just that easy!




Nom nom!

The Sugar Faerie's Hazelnut Banana Cake

Ingredients:

3 c all-purpose flour
1 tsp. baking soda
3/4 tsp. salt
3 large eggs
2 c granulated sugar
1 2/3 c vegetable oil
1/2 c buttermilk
2 large ripe bananas, mashed
1 T vanilla bean paste
1/2 c skinless hazelnuts, roasted and chopped
Zest of 1 large orange

Preheat oven to 350*.  Grease and flour a 12-cup tube or bundt pan.  Set aside.
In a large bowl whisk the flour, soda and salt.
In a bowl of an electric mixer add the eggs, sugar, oil and buttermilk.  Beat on low until well blended. Slowly add dry ingredients and mix just until combined.  Add bean paste, bananas, nuts and zest.  Mix only until incorporated.
Pour into prepared pan, place on center rack in oven and bake approximately 1 hour or until tester inserted near center comes out clean.  Cool 10 minutes and remove from pan.  Place on rack over waxed paper; cool completely.  Prepare glaze.  Drizzle over cooled cake.

Cream Cheese Flavored Glaze
2 c confectioners' sugar
3 T freshly squeezed orange juice
1 tsp. cream cheese flavoring (you can substitute almond extract)

Whisk until smooth and drizzle over cooled cake.

Enjoy this moist cake made with Mozart's favorite fruit >>> Ba na na na nah!