Yummy Basil Marinade

Marinating your food before cooking or grilling adds moisture and so much flavor.
This is one of my favorite marinades. It is really great for seafood and chicken.

It doesn't take a lot of basil, but it packs a big flavorful punch.

You will need a blender or food processor.

Ingredients:

20-30 fresh basil leaves- no stems
1/3 cup olive oil
1/3 cup boiling water
1/3 cup lemon juice
3 peeled garlic cloves
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon pepper

Put all the ingredients into the container of blender and blend until you have a smooth paste.

                                                        This is what it will look like.

Now you can pour it into a jar and store in the fridge for up to 3 days or you can use it immediately.

This will make 1 cup basil marinade and will marinade 3 pounds of meat.

You marinate seafood for an hour and poultry for 2 hours.

I'd like to thank Steven Raichlen for his marvelous recipe.

Chocolate Ice Milk

Who doesn't love some frozen chocolatey goodness in the heat of the summer?

This is a really great treat and simple to make. You don't even need an ice cream freezer for this.

Get out your blender or food processor.
You will also need a container with a lid for storing and a 9"x9" pan.

Ingredients:

2 cups milk
3/4 cup sugar
1/3 cup cocoa powder, preferably Dutch processed
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract

Take your storage container with lid and put it in the freezer to chill.

In the container of your blender or food processor add 1 cup of the milk, sugar, and cocoa powder and blend on high for 1 minute.
Add the rest of the milk and vanilla extract and blend for another minute on low.
Pour the mixture into the 9"x9" pan.
Stick in the freezer for 1 to 2 hours til there is a thin frozen crust on the top.
Put the mixture back into the blender and blend til smooth and creamy.
Pour the mixture into the storing container and freeze for another hour or until firm.

Makes 1-1/2 pints

Rhubarb Cobbler

Rhubarb cobbler is a great treat. It is best when it is warm from the oven, but tasty when room temperature also.

You will need a 2 quart baking dish. A 9" square pan will work great.
Preheat the oven to 400 degrees.

Ingredients:

6 cups rhubarb
1 to 1-1/4 cups sugar
4 teaspoons cornstarch
dash cinnamon- optional

1 cup flour
3 Tablespoons butter or shortening
1 Tablespoon sugar
1-1/2 teaspoons baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon cinnamon- optional
1/2 cup milk

In a medium saucepan, mix the 1 to 1-1/4 cups sugar, the cornstarch, cinnamon, and rhubarb.
Let stand for ten minutes.
While that is going on, make the topping.
In a medium bowl, mix the flour, 1 Tablespoon sugar, cinnamon, baking powder, and salt.
Cut in the butter til it is crumbly.
Stir in the milk.
Set aside.
For the filling, turn the heat on and cook until it is thick and bubbling. Make sure to constantly stir so it won't burn.
Pour the filling into your baking dish.
With a large spoon, drop 6 to 9 mounds of the topping dough over the filling.
Bake for 20-25 minutes til the topping passes the toothpick test.

Serves 4-6.

Peanut Butter Chews

What collection of recipes is complete without a peanut butter cookie recipe?
These peanut butter cookies are a little different because they are more chewy than the traditional peanut butter cookie and there is no criss-cross on the top either.
They have a slight crispness on the outside, but are soft inside.

Preheat your oven to 325 degrees.
Lightly grease cookie sheets. Or line the pans with parchment paper.

Ingredients:

1 cup( 2 sticks) unsalted butter, softened
1 cup brown sugar
1/2 cup sugar
1/4 cup corn syrup
3/4 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon salt
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
2 eggs
2 cups peanut butter, preferably creamy
2 cups flour

In a mixing bowl, cream the butter with the brown sugar, sugar, corn syrup, baking soda, salt, and vanilla extract.
Add the eggs, one at a time. Beat the first one in well before adding the second one.
Add the peanut butter and beat until the mixture seems light and fluffy.
Blend in the flour.
Drop the cookie dough by the tablespoon OR a medium cookie scoop onto the baking sheets.
Bake for 15 minutes. They will be a light golden brown around the edges.
Do not overbake or they will turn out crispy instead of soft.
Take off the cookie sheets and let cool on a rack.

This will make about 4-5 dozen cookies.

Shrimp in Garlic Butter

This is a simple and super yummy dish to make. It only takes 20 minutes or less to put the whole thing together.

Ingredients:

1 pound fresh or frozen medium or large sized shrimp
2 Tablespoons butter
3 cloves garlic, minced
2 Tablespoons fresh parsley OR 1 Tablespoon dried

Thaw shrimp, if needed. Peel and devein shrimp, if needed.
In a large skillet, heat the butter over medium high heat.
Add the shrimp and garlic.
Cook, stirring frequently for 1 to 3 minutes or until shrimp are pink.
Stir in the parsley.
Serve.

This will serve 3 to 4.

This goes fabulously with a side of cooked rice.