This was an amazingly delicious dinner. I told Gary on the way home, if you don't cook, you have no idea of all the time this takes. He has lived with me for 30 plus years so he knows how much time it takes. I was telling my daughters today of my first experience after I was married of having all the family over for dinner around the holidays. My parents had out of town relatives visiting, it was my cousin's birthday and I had recipes I had gotten from a magazine to fix for dinner. Not having much experience under my belt, I had no idea how long it would take me. I had a 3 month old baby, I had taken a cake decorate class and I thought I could bake and decorate a cake and cook dinner for 12 people in an afternoon. I'm glad I don't have to relive that. Everyone was gracious, the cake looked like a disaster but tasted ok and dinner was not what I thought it would be.
My youngest daughter did most of the cooking and she kept saying, this took longer than I thought. When we arrived she was close to being finished and the food was excellent. I want to share the recipes with you. The menu was Caramelized Onion Flatbread, Zucchini Mint Pasta, Coconut Pineapple Cake and Strawberry Green Tea. You'll love these recipes!
Caramelized Onion Flatbread
1 large sweet onion, sliced
3 tablespoons olive oil, divided
1 lb. bakery pizza dough
1 1/4 teaspoons kosher salt
1 teaspoon fresh rosemary
Preheat oven to 425 degrees. Saute onion in 1 tablespoon hot oil over medium high heat 15 minutes or until golden brown. Press dough into a 15x10 inch jelly roll pan, pressing to about 1/4 inch thickness. Press handle of a wooden spoon into dough to make indentations at 1 inch intervals, drizzle with remaining 2 tablespoons of olive oil and sprinkle with salt, rosemary and caramelized onions. Bake at 425 on lowest oven rack 20 minutes or until lightly browned. My daughter found pizza dough that she could buy at The Wedge on north Western. Mazzio's and Pizza Hut would not sell their dough. It's important to put the dough on the lower rack because it makes it crunchy.
All of the family loved this and we were all talking about variations of this recipe. This would also make great appetizers with drinks. Serves 8
Zucchini Mint Pasta
2 tablespoons butter
2 tablespoons olive oil
2 shallots diced and sauteed
1 1/2 pounds small zucchini, sliced and sauteed
1 garlic clove, minced
2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
2 teaspoons lemon zest
1 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon ground pepper
1- 9 ounce package refrigerated fettuccine pasta or 1-8oz. package pappardelle pasta, cooked
1/2 cup thinly sliced fresh mint
1/2 cup chopped toasted walnuts
1/4 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese
4 oz. crumbled feta cheese
Melt butter and olive oil in a large nonstick skillet over medium high heat, add shallots and saute 2 minutes. Add zucchini and saute 5 minutes or until zucchini is tender. Stir in minced garlic and cook one minute. Remove from heat; stir in lemon juice and lemon zest, salt and pepper. Toss in cooked pasta, fresh mint and walnuts. Add fresh Parmesan cheese and crumble feta cheese over top just before serving.
My daughter used pappardelle pasta which she found at Urban Agrarian at the Old Farmer's Market. They sale mostly all made in Oklahoma products. They also sale free range chickens and grass feed beef.
For a heartier main dish she added baked chicken breast cut in chunks but you can add white beans for a heartier vegetarian option. I loved this and I will be making this a lot. All the family loved it too. Some like the walnuts other didn't, it was divided down the middle. I like them. :)
This recipe will make 4-6 main dish or 6-8 side dish servings.
Last but certainly not least was this wonder pineapple coconut cake. It won Southern Living's dessert of the year several years ago. Katie did a wonderful job making this.
1-15 ounce can crushed pineapple in juice, undrained
1 1/2 cups butter softened
3 cups of sugar
5 large eggs
1/2 cup lemon-lime soft drink
3 cups cake flour, sifted
1 teaspoon of lemon extract
1 teaspoon of vanilla extract
Pineapple filling
Cream cheese frosting
1-6 ounce package frozen flaked coconut, thawed
Garnish, with fresh mint sprig
Grease and flour 3-9 inch round cake pans.
Drain pineapple, reserving 3/4 cup juice. Remove 1/4 cup reserved juice for cream cheese frosting and reserve crushed pineapple for pineapple filling.
Beat butter at medium speed with electric mixer until creamy, gradually add sugar beating well. Add eggs one at a time, beating until blended after each addition.
Combine 1/2 cup reserved pineapple juice and soft drink. Add flour to butter mixture alternately with juice mixture, beginning and ending with flour. Beat at low speed until blended after each addition. Stir in extracts. Pour into prepared cake pans.
Bake at 350 degrees for 25-30 minutes or until wooden pick comes out clean. Remove from pans immediately, cool on wire racks.
Spread 3/4 cup Pineapple filling between cake layers and remaining filling on top of cake. Spread cream cheese frosting on sides of cake, pipe border around top, if desired. Sprinkle with coconut.
Pineapple filling
2 cups sugar
1/4 cup cornstarch
1 cup reserved drained crushed pineapple
1 cup water
Stir together sugar and cornstarch in a saucepan. Stir in pineapple and 1 cup water. Cook over low heat stirring occasionally, 15 minutes or until very thick. Cool, makes 3 cups.
Cream Cheese Frosting
1/2 cup butter
1-3 ounce package cream cheese, softened
1-16 ounce package powdered sugar, sifter
1/4 cup reserved pineapple juice
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
Beat butter and cream cheese at medium speed until blended. Gradually add powdered sugar, juice and vanilla extract mixing well. makes 2 cups.
This cake is so rich and delicious. It takes a very small piece to satisfy your sweet tooth.
I don't have the recipe for the strawberry green tea but I will get it and post it for you later.
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