BOOM!

The Independence Day celebration weekend was very very good. I think about how wonderful it is when you can have your children, and your parents all together at the same time. Doesn't happen often enough, that's for sure.

As I said earlier I spent some time paging through books looking for a few new offerings for the party. I had many on my list, and will only share with you those recipes I feel worth repeating. As usual I had my superb staff on hand to help me cook (thanks Nate, Heather & James) so it ended up going rather smoothly.

MANDARIN ORANGE CAKE
1 yellow cake mix
1 can mandarin oranges with juice
1/2 cup veg. oil
4 eggs
1/2 tsp vanilla

Mix all ingredients together approximately 2 minutes. Spray a 9x13 pan, then pour in cake batter. Bake 30-40 min. @ 350*. Cool completely and frost.

TOPPING
1 8oz cool whip-thawed
1 small box vanilla instant pudding
1 15oz crushed pineapple with juice
1 cup flaked coconut

Stir together with spatula and spread on cooled cake. Refrigerate.

next..............

3 CHEESE NACHO DIP
1 8oz sour cream
3 oz cream cheese, soften
1 can refried beans (I like the HyVee spicy brand)
1/2 cup picante
1 tsp chili powder
1/2 tsp cumin
4 oz cheddar cheese grated
4 oz monterey jack cheese grated

Combine all ingredients and put in an oven safe dish to bake. I actually did mine in the microwave because I didn't want to heat up the kitchen - but I think it would be much prettier baked in the oven until heated through. 350* 1/2 hr maybe??? Serve with tortilla chips and big cold glass of _________.

next...........

UNION SQUARE BAR NUTS
18 oz unsalted mixed nuts
2 Tbsp coarsely chopped fresh rosemary leaves
1/2 tsp cayenne pepper
2 tsp dark brown sugar
2 tsp sea salt or Kosher salt
2 Tbsp. butter melted

Preheat oven to 350*. Spread the nuts onto a baking sheet and toast them in the preheated oven about 10 minutes until golden brown. Combine the rosemary, cayenne, brown sugar, salt and melted butter. When the nuts are finished roasting immediately toss them with the spiced butter and serve.

I actually liked them better a couple of days later, at room temp. This recipe is from a famous bar in New York City.

next.............

CRESCENT ROLLUPS
2 tubes crescent rolls
1 8 oz cream cheese
1 1/2 cups cheddar cheese - shredded
1 green pepper, chopped fine
1 can mushrooms drain and chop
1 small can of chopped black olives
1 package sliced ham chopped

Mix all ingredients together except crescents. Roll out dough putting 2 triangles together to make rectangles. Pinch seams together before you spread cream cheese mixture on. Roll up starting with a short end, slice each roll into 6-8 pieces, depends on how big you want them. Lay each on parchment and bake @ 425* until golden, about 8 minutes. Serve warm.