Monthly Archives: July 2018

Chicago Italian Beef

Recipe by Moonbugz_ as featured on the Genius Kitchen website

Yield: 5 lbs. meat

Ingredients:

  • 5 lbs. rump roast (do not substitute for a different type of roast)
  • Two (10 1/4 oz.) cans beef consommé (broth)
  • One (1 oz.) package Good Seasonings Italian salad dressing mix
  • Pepperoncini pepper (1/2-1 jars depending on level of spiciness)
  • Giardiniera (1/2-1jars)
  • 3 to 5 Sweet Green Peppers (according to size)
  • 1 loaf long thin French bread

 

Directions: 

  1. Cook first 5 ingredients in a Crockpot on “Low” for 18 hours.
  2. Turn over at the 6th and 12th hour interval.
  3. At the 17th hour, cut sweet green peppers into 1/8ths lengths and slice on the side lengthwise.
  4. Pull roast apart with a fork.  Using tongs, pile bread with meat and juice. (Do not let juice drain before putting on bread. The juice is half the taste of the sandwich.) Lay strips of green pepper on top of meat.
  5. Salt to taste.
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Watermelon-Feta Salad

Recipe by Better Homes and Gardens™

Yield: 1-1/3 cups

Mini Gyro Burgers with Watermelon-Feta Salad

Mini Gyro Burgers with Watermelon-Feta Salad (Photo by Better Homes & Gardens™)

Ingredients:

 

Directions: 

  1. In a small bowl combine watermelon, cheese, onion, mint, lemon juice, and oil.
  2. Toss gently to coat.
  3. Cover; refrigerate for up to 2 days.

 

Homemade Gyros with Watermelon-Feta Salad

Homemade Gyros with Watermelon-Feta Salad (Photo by Better Homes & Gardens™)

Watermelon Cooler

Recipe by Betty Crocker™

Yield: 8 Servings

Watermelon Cooler

Photo by Betty Crocker™

Ingredients: 

  • 8 c. 1/2-inch cubes watermelon
  • 1-1/2 c. ginger ale
  • 1/3 c. water
  • 1 can (6 oz.) frozen limeade concentrate, thawed

 

Directions:

  1. Place watermelon cubes in single layer in 1-gallon resealable freezer plastic bag; freeze 8 hours. Let stand at room temperature 15 minutes.
  2. In blender, place half each of watermelon, ginger ale, water and limeade concentrate. Cover; blend on medium speed until smooth. Pour mixture into pitcher. Repeat with remaining ingredients; stir into mixture in pitcher. Serve immediately.

 

Tips:

  • Look for seedless watermelon in the produce department to save having to remove the seeds when cutting the watermelon into cubes.
  • Garnish each cooler with a lime wedge and fresh mint leaves threaded on a fancy toothpick.

 

For Nutrition Information, click here.

Great Guacamole

Recipe by Better Homes and Gardens™

Yield: 4 cups or 16 Servings (1/4 c. per serving)

Ingredients:

  • 5-6 ripe avocados
  • 1/4 c. snipped fresh cilantro
  • 1-2 medium fresh jalapeño peppers, stemmed, seeded and minced
  • 1 clove garlic, minced
  • 1/4 cup red onion, finely chopped (optional)
  • 2-3 tablespoons lime juice
  • 3/4 -1 tsp. salt
  • Chips

Optional:  Fresh cilantro, chopped tomato, chopped avocado and/or lime wedges

 

Directions: 

  1. Cut avocados in half. Scoop pulp into a bowl and slice into small diced pieces or mash with a fork or potato masher.
  2. Gently fold in cilantro, jalapeño peppers, and garlic.  If desired, add onion and tomato. Add lime juice and salt to taste.
  3. Cover with plastic wrap, pressing wrap to the surface of the guacamole to prevent it from turning brown.  Let it sit at least 30 minutes (or refrigerate up to 4 hours, then let stand at room temperature at least 15 minutes before serving.
  4. If desired, before serving, sprinkle with additional cilantro.  Serve with sweet potato chips or tortilla chips.

 

Click here for additional instructions.


A Note From the BH&G™ Test Kitchen: 

Because hot chile peppers, such as jalapenos, contain volatile oils that can burn your skin and eyes, avoid direct contact with chiles as much as possible. When working with chile peppers, wear plastic or rubber gloves. If your bare hands do touch the chile peppers, wash your hands well with soap and water.

 

Nutrition Facts (Great Guacamole)

Per serving: 71 kcal,6 g fat, (1 g sat. fat,1 g polyunsaturated fat, 4 g monounsaturated fat), 0 mg chol., 113 mg. sodium, 4 g carb.,3 g fiber, 0 g sugar, 1 g pro.

Pink Lemonade Cake

by Better Homes & Gardens™

Pink Lemonade Cake

Photo by BHG.com

18 Servings

 

Ingredients: 

  • 1 cup butter
  • 4 eggs
  • 3-1/3 c. all-purpose flour
  • 1 tablespoon baking powder
  • 1/2 tsp. salt
  • 2 c. sugar
  • 1-1/3 c. milk
  • 1/4 c. frozen lemonade concentrate, thawed
  • 1 tsp. pure lemon extract
  • Lemonade Butter Frosting*

 

Directions: 

  1. Allow butter and eggs to stand at room temperature for 30 minutes. Meanwhile, grease two 9×2-inch round cake pans. Line bottoms with parchment; grease paper. Flour pans, tapping to remove excess; set aside. In medium bowl stir together 3-1/3 cups flour, baking powder, and salt; set aside.
  2. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. In an extra-large mixing bowl beat butter with mixer on medium to high for 30 seconds. Gradually add sugar, about 1/4 cup at a time, beating on medium until well combined. Scrape sides of bowl; beat 2 minutes more. Add 1/8 tsp. red food coloring; beat to combine. Add eggs one at a time, beating well after each addition.
  3. In bowl stir together milk, lemonade concentrate, and extract (mixture will look curdled). Alternately add flour mixture and milk mixture to butter mixture, beating on low after each addition just until combined. Remove half (4 cups) the batter; spread in one pan. In remaining batter, stir 1/4 tsp. red food coloring. Spread in second pan.
  4. Bake about 35 minutes, until tops spring back when lightly touched. Meanwhile, prepare Lemonade Butter Frosting.
  5. Cool in pans on wire racks for 10 minutes. Remove layers from pans; peel off paper. Cool completely on wire racks. Trim off domed tops of layers so cake will stand flat. Cut each layer horizontally in half, making four layers. Brush crumbs from layers.
  6. Place one dark pink layer, cut-side down, on a plate. Spread 1 cup frosting just to edges. Top with a light pink layer, followed by second dark pink layer, spreading frosting on each just to edges. Stack final light pink layer, cut-side down. Spread frosting on top and sides as desired.

 

From the BHG Test Kitchen 

To incorporate food coloring evenly in batter, add the first portion of food coloring to butter and sugar mixture before adding eggs.

HOW TO SPLIT LAYERS

To split layers, stack small wooden blocks the width of the layer desired next to the layer. With a gentle sawing motion, slice around the cake to the center. Brush off crumbs.

*

Balsa wood blocks are sold at crafts stores.

LEMON GARNISH

Thinly slice lemons and remove seeds. Coat with sugar then arrange on cake just before serving.

 

*Lemonade Buttercream Frosting

Yield: 6 cups

Ingredients: 

  • 3 cups (6 sticks) unsalted butter, softened
  • Two-16 ounces jars marshmallow creme**
  • 1/4 cup frozen lemonade concentrate, thawed
  • 1 cup powdered sugar
  • 2 teaspoons pure lemon extract

Directions:

  1. In very large mixing bowl beat softened butter with mixer on medium for 30 seconds, until light and fluffy. Add marshmallow creme and lemonade concentrate. Beat until smooth, scraping sides of bowl. Add powdered sugar and extract; beat until light and fluffy. (If frosting is stiff, soften in microwave no more than 10 seconds, then beat until smooth.)
  2. Frost Pink Lemonade Cake. To store frosting, cover and refrigerate up to 3 days or freeze up to 1 month. Bring to room temperature before frosting cake. Makes 6 cups.

From the Test Kitchen

Room-temperature butter ensures that the frosting will be creamy and spreadable.

 

* * If only 13-oz. jars are available, add 6 oz. (1-1/2 cup) marshmallow creme.

 

Video Tips on How to Make a Layer Cake

 

Nutrition Facts (Pink Lemonade Cake)
Per serving: 583 kcal , 32 g fat (20 g sat. fat , 1 g polyunsaturated fat , 8 g monounsaturated fat ), 124 mg chol. , 442 mg sodium , 72 g carb. , 1 g fiber , 47 g sugar , 5 g pro.