Rhubarb Buckle

For those of us who have a yearly spring love affair with rhubarb- this is a fun recipe to try.  Serve it with vanilla ice cream for dessert, as a coffecake for breakfast, and as an easily toted picnic lunch treat. (Or just eat it out of hand as you pass through the kitchen...)
 
Rhubarb Buckle slightly adapted from Martha Stewart Magazine, May 2012
Ingredients:
Cake:
1 lb. plus 10 oz. fresh rhubarb pieces (about 2 lbs stalks untrimmed)
2 cups sugar, divided
2 cups all-purpose flour
1 1/4 tsp. baking powder
1 tsp. coarse salt
1 1/2 sticks (3/4 cup) unsalted butter, softened
1 tsp. finely grated lemon zest
3 large eggs
1 tsp. pure vanilla extract
1/2 cup sour cream

Crumb topping:
1 cup all-purpose flour
1/4 cup light brown sugar
1/4 tsp coarse salt
1/2 stick (1/4 cup) unsalted butter, melted

Directions:
1. Cake: Preheat oven to 350°, with rack in center position. Coat one half sheet pan or two 9in. square cake pans with cooking spray, and line with parchment, leaving an overhang on 2 sides. Stir together rhubarb with one cup sugar, set aside. (Note: I used the half sheet pan; it decreases the amount of cake in each cut square, which I like.)
2. Whisk together flour, baking powder, and salt. Beat together butter, remaining cup sugar, and the lemon zest until light and fluffy. Beat in eggs one at a time, then beat in vanilla. Beat in flour mixture in two additions, alternating with sour cream, beginning and ending with flour mixture.
3. Crumb topping: Stir together flour, brown sugar, and salt. Add melted butter and stir to combine until crumbly.
4. Pour cake batter into pan(s). Spoon rhubarb mixture evenly over cake batter, and sprinkle with crumb topping.
5.Bake until golden on top and cooked through, about 1 hour. Let cool completely in pan. Lift cakes from pan(s) using parchment. Cut into 2 in. squares.

Cake(s) can be wrapped in plastic and stored at room temperature for one day. If storing, remove parchment before wrapping in plastic.

Lion House Cheesecake

We finally sold our house in The South! To mark the occasion, the kids wanted to have a "house selling party".  Upon further discussion, the boys came up with this list of requirements for the party:

• Balloons
• Streamers
• Cheesecake
• A zip line going from the kitchen to the downstairs family room

The balloons and streamers were pretty easy to agree to.  But unfortunately the zip line had to be nixed due to safety concerns.  Thankfully, the kids were pacified about the lack of a zip line when I committed to making cheesecake.

My family has been making this cheesecake recipe for as long as I can remember.  I'm pretty sure my first bite of cheesecake ever was a product of this recipe.  It is a tried-and-true, no fuss, simple, cheesecake that is easy enough to make anytime and fancy enough for special occasions--like house selling parties.

(This recipe hails from The Lion House, a fabulously quaint historical restaurant in the heart of Salt Lake City.  If you are ever in Utah, make sure you check it out; you won't be disappointed.)

Lion House Cheesecake
Source: Adapted from Lion House Recipes

Ingredients:

Crust:
1 1/2 cups graham cracker crumbs, rolled fine
3 Tablespoons sugar
6 Tablespoons unsalted butter
1 teaspoon cinnamon

Filling:
3 (8 oz.) packages cream cheese, softened
1 cup sugar
3 eggs
3/4 teaspoon vanilla

Topping:
1 pint sour cream
3 Tablespoons sugar
1/2 teaspoon vanilla

Directions:
1. Preheat oven to 300 degrees F.
2. To make the crust, thoroughly mix all crust ingredients.  Press firmly into a 9- or 10-inch spring form pan, lining bottom and partially up the sides.  Set aside.
3. In a large bowl or stand mixer, beat the cream cheese well until smooth. 
4. Add sugar to the cream cheese a little at a time, mix well.
5. Add eggs, one at a time, mixing until combined after each addition.
6. Add vanilla, combine thoroughly.
7. Pour filling into crust, allowing at least a 1/2 inch of space at the top of the pan to allow room for topping.
8. Bake for 60 minutes at 300 degrees F.
9. While the cake is baking, prepare the topping.
10. In a medium bowl, whip sour cream; add sugar gradually.
11. Add vanilla, mix well.
12. After the cake has baked for 60 minutes, pour topping over cake, covering completely.
13. Return cake to the oven, bake for an additional 10 minutes.  Cool completely before enjoying.

Posole Chicken Soup

I've had the craving for mexican food lately and found this recipe in  HyVee's Seasons magazine.
What they said about it: An ancient recipe from Mesoamerica, posole is also called hominy soup for the one ingredient that is consistently included to this day.
What I say about it: a tasty upscale variation of taco soup.
try it for a an easy weeknight supper.

Posole Chicken Soup adapted from HyVee Seasons magazine www.hyvee.com

Ingredients:
2 (32 oz) cartons chicken broth
2 (15.5 oz) cans white hominy
2 (14.5 oz) cans fire-roasted diced tomatoes, undrained
2 tsp. adobo sauce, from chipotle peppers in adobo sauce can
2 cups plus 1/4 cup chopped fresh cilantro (about 1 bunch)
1 tsp. dried oregano
1 rotisserie chicken, skin removed, de-boned, and chopped (2-3 cups chicken)
3 TBS olive oil
1 cup chopped carrots
1 cup diced yellow onion
1 poblano pepper, seeded and diced
2 avocados, seeded and chopped
2 cups Mexican shredded cheese
2 cups tortilla chips
1 cup sour cream



Directions:
1. In a large stockpot, combine broth, hominy, tomatoes, adobo sauce, 2 cups cilantro and oregano. Stir in chicken. Cook and stir over medium-high heat until heated through.

2. In a large skillet, heat olive oil Saute carrots, onion, and poblano pepper about 5 minutes or until tender. Add to stockpot. Allow to heat through and serve hot.

3. Serve or top with avocado, cheese, chips, sour cream and cilantro.
Makes 16 cups.