Pistachio Pesto Chicken Salad Sandwich

Photo by Rachel Valley


Recipe to follow...

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Bite sized gingerbread.

Photo by Rachel Valley

On an early morning photo jaunt and forgetting my flashcards, I pop into a restaurant in Lincoln, a little town right outside of my own. The woman behind the counter thought my daughter was very cute. And since the little one was ogling these cookies in the case, the waitress ended up simply giving them to her. I let her have one little blue flower cookie on the way home and kept the two remaining to photograph.

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Banana Upside Down Cake

photo by Rachel Valley
Buttery Banana Goodness!

3 small to medium size bananas
2 cups sugar
4 tablespoons (1/2 stick) butter
1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
2 teaspoons baking powder
1/2 teaspoon coarse salt
1/2 cup clarified butter
2 eggs
1/2 cup buttermilk
1 teaspoon vanilla

1. Preheat oven to 325 degrees F. Halve bananas lengthwise, then crosswise.
2. In a saucepan, combine 1 cup sugar with about 2 tablespoons water (so the mix looks like damp sand). Melt over high heat, swirling the pan occasionally, until the sugar caramelizes. When the caramel is dark amber, add the butter and stir to combine. Pour mixture immediately into an 8-inch cake pan. Arrange the bananas in the caramel, cut side down.
3. Sift the flour, baking powder and salt; set aside. In a mixer, using a whisk attachment, combine the remaining sugar and the clarified butter. With the mixture on low, add the eggs, one at a time. Add the buttermilk and vanilla. Add the flour mixture to the batter a third at a time. Pour the batter over the bananas and bake until the cake springs back and begins to pull away from the sides, about 50 minutes. Allow the cake to cool for 5 minutes, then invert onto a serving plate. Serve warm or at room temperature.


From Parade February 22, 2004

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Simple Crispy Chocolate Bites

Photo by Rachel Valley

Recipe to follow!

Monkey Cat BBQ Pork Sandwich

Monkey Cat BBQ Pork Sandwich

No recipe but a sandwich I had at the Monkey Cat Restaurant in Auburn California. It was my birthday and I put on some lipstick, loaded up my 2 year old and went to lunch. It was nice.

BBQ Pork on a Sesame Bun with Fried Onion Straws
Slaw
French Fries

RH Phillips Toasted Head Chardonay

One of my favorite inexpensive wines! They make a Merlot that is also very tasty! I get this brand whenever in doubt.

Chocolate-Cherry Cookies

photo Rachel Valley
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From Better Homes and Gardens All-Time Favorites

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Chocolate-Cherry Cookies

* 1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
* 1/2 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
* 1/2 cup butter, softened
* 1 cup sugar
* 1/4 teaspoon baking soda
* 1/4 teaspoon baking powder
* 1 egg
* 1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla
* 48 maraschino cherries (about one 10-ounce jar), undrained
* 1 cup semisweet chocolate pieces
* 1/2 cup sweetened condensed milk

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. In a bowl combine flour and cocoa powder. Set aside. In a large mixing bowl beat butter with electric mixer on medium to high speed for 30 seconds. Beat in sugar, baking soda, baking powder, and 1/4 teaspoon salt. Beat in egg and vanilla. Gradually beat in flour mixture.

Shape dough into 1-inch balls. Place balls about 2 inches apart on an ungreased cookie sheet. Press down center of each ball with your thumb. Drain cherries, reserving juice. Halve any large cherries. Place a cherry or cherry half in the center of each cookie.

For frosting, in a small saucepan combine chocolate pieces and the sweetened condensed milk. Heat until chocolate melts. Stir in 4 teaspoons of the reserved cherry juice.

Spoon about 1 teaspoon frosting over each cherry, spreading to cover cherry. (If necessary, thin frosting with additional cherry juice). Bake in preheated oven about 10 minutes or until edges are firm. Cool on cookie sheet for 1 minutes. Transfer to wire racks, cool. Makes 48.

To store: Place in layers separated by waxed paper in an airtight container, cover. Store at room temperature for up to 3 days or freeze for up to 3 months.