EAGLE BRAND® Quick Chocolate Mousse

( This isn't my recipe, but it is VERY yummy & easy there are never leftovers!)

Ready in 10 minutes

Serves 8

( Doubles easily)

1 (14 ounce) can Eagle Brand ® Sweetened Condensed Milk

1 cup cold water

1 (4 serving size) package instant chocolate pudding mix

1 cup whipping cream, whipped

( Can be lightened by using either Dream Whip, or Cool Whip, but it will be sweeter)

In a large bowl, combine sweetened condensed milk and water. Add pudding mix, beat well. 

Chill 5 minutes. 

Fold in whipped cream. 

Spoon into serving dishes, chill. 

Garnish as desired. 

Store leftovers covered in refrigerator.

MMÑ

Easy Refrigerator Dill Pickles

4 cups water

1 cup distilled white vinegar

2 tbsp kosher salt

1 tsp white sugar

6 pickling cucumbers, cut into quarters

1 tsp black peppercorns

1/2 tsp coriander seeds

1/2 tsp mustard seeds

1 dried bay leaf (broken up)

1/4 tsp celery seeds (optional)

1/4 tsp red chili pepper flakes

8 MED cloves garlic, cut into long, thin pieces

6 large sprigs of fresh dill

Equipment: 2 quart sized ball jars, or 1 large half gallon jar (cleaned and dried)

1. In a non-reactive pot, bring water, vinegar, salt, and sugar to a boil. Remove from heat and let cool completely.

2. Place peppercorns, coriander seeds, mustard seeds, dried bay leaf, celery seeds, and red chili pepper flakes in the bottom of the jars.

3. Tightly pack in the cucumbers, squeeze garlic slices in between the cucumbers.

4. Carefully pour the cooled brine over your cucumbers, make sure they are covered completely (you should have a little over 4.5 cups of brine after boiling and cooling with a bit left over), place dill sprigs on the top of the jar before sealing very well.

5. Turn and shake jar until the pickling seasoning has evenly distributed throughout the brine. Place in refrigerator for at least 48 hours.

MMÑ

Pineapple Mango Barbecue Sauce

This started out as a Pineapple Mango Salsa I made for taco's one night & a few days later I wanted something different in a barbecue sauce for ribs on the grill. This is what I came up with. It's sweet & spicy, but not hot to the taste. Would be a good dipping sauce for chicken fingers or grilled chicken, maybe even shrimp.

Ingredients:

1 whole pineapple, peeled, cut into cubes

2 mango's peeled. Cut into cubes

4 small tomato's cut into chunks seeds removed

2 small jalapeno's seeds & vanes removed rough chopped (for more spicy sauce you can leave some seeds in)

1 medium red onion, peeled & rough chopped

Juice of 1/2 lime

Put in processor & pulse till slightly coarse, but not chunky.

Place in a non reactive saucepan & add the following:

11/4 cup packed brown sugar

1/2 cup white vinegar

3Tbsp. Peach Vinegar ( you can use peach nectar or even mashed peaches if you don't have vinegar & add another Tbsp. of white vinegar)

1 tsp. Cayenne pepper

3 Tbsp. Buckwheat Honey or Molasses

1 tsp. Cinnamon

1 tsp. Nutmeg

1 1/2 tsp. Granulated garlic

1/2 tsp. Ground Cumin

1 tsp. Grated lemon rind

2 tsp. Spicy mustard

1/2 cup chicken broth

Salt to taste

Simmer till thickened, about 20 minutes.

MMÑ

Cranberry Walnut Spice Cake

1 Spice Cake Mix

1½ Cups Fresh or Frozen Cranberries

½ Cup Walnuts 

(I used a mix of Black & English walnuts)

3 Eggs

½ Cup Applesauce 

1 Cup Water

1 Tsp. Cinnamon

1Tbs. Sugar

In a large bowl, mix all but Cranberries & Nuts together on low speed for 30 seconds, then on medium speed for 2 minutes. Fold in Cranberries & Walnuts. Pour into pan.

Bake according to cake mix directions.

I used a 12 cup non-stick bunt pan & baked it at 325º for 45 minutes.

Cool 10 minutes in pan, then turn out on a rack & cool about 1 hour. Frost as you like. I just dusted mine with confectioners sugar. 

MMÑ

Linguine with White Clam Sauce

What you'll need:

1# Linguine, cooked Al Dente

1-51 oz. Can of chopped clams, drained & liquid reserved.

or roughly 5 doz. Fresh little neck clams in the shells scrubbed well.

6 cloves garlic, sliced thin

1 Lg. Shallot or a small red onion, diced fine

1/2 bunch flat leaf parsley or 1/4 c. Dried

8 T. EVOO (extra virgin olive oil) + 3 T Butter

Salt & pepper to taste salt only after tasting!

1 C. dry white wine (whatever kind you like to drink) or you can use chicken stock if you prefer.

1/2 tsp. chili flakes

1/2 tsp. Dried thyme or 3 or sprigs fresh stripped from it's stems

4 Anchovies fillets, smashed 

4 or 5 sun dried tomato's diced fine or fresh grape tomato's diced

1/2 roasted red pepper, diced (if you have it)

1/2 cup of clam juice

1 T. Fresh squeezed lemon juice

Will serve 4 to 6

In a large pot, bring 4 qts. Well salted water to a boil for the pasta.

Put the pasta in & start your sauce NOW.

In a large skillet or saute pan, heat the EVOO & butter till it's hot, add:

Shallots & garlic cook 2 minutes till slightly soft. 

Then add the anchovies and stir till anchovies break down & blend into the oil. 

Add chili flakes, thyme,tomato's & roasted peppers (if you're using them) saute 2 or 3 minutes. 

Add the clams and saute about 2 or 3 minutes. Add the wine or stock and the lemon, stir till it starts to bubble, now add your Al Dente pasta & toss to cover well and continue cooking about 3 minutes to let the wine cook out.

( I take my pasta directly from the hot water with a pasta spoon/spaghetti server and put it in the hot bubbly sauce & toss.)

The starch from the pasta pulls the sauce together and thickens it a bit.

Serve hot with crusty bread & a green salad or a nice green veggie!

Husband approved ;-)

MMÑ