Recipe of the Day: The Perfect Mai Tai *National Mail Tai Day!*

The Perfect Mai Tai

Ingredients

2 cups light rum
1 cup dark rum
1 cup 151 proof rum
1 cup orange curacao (orange flavored liqueur)
1 cup almond flavored syrup
1 cup simple syrup
10 limes, juiced
1/2 gallon fresh orange juice

Directions

In a large jar or drink cooler, combine the light rum, dark rum, 151 rum, orange liqueur, almond syrup, simple syrup, and lime juice. Stir and top off with orange juice. Do not use grenadine if you want the true Mai Tai! Serve in 8 to 12 ounce glasses with ice.

Recipe found here:

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Recipe of the Day: Melt-In-Your-Mouth Meat Loaf

Melt-In-Your-Mouth Meat Loaf

Ingredients
2 eggs
3/4 cup milk
2/3 cup seasoned bread crumbs
2 teaspoons dried minced onion
1 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon rubbed sage
1/2 cup sliced fresh mushrooms
1 1/2 pounds ground beef
1/4 cup ketchup
2 tablespoons brown sugar
1 teaspoon ground mustard
1/2 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce

Directions
Combine eggs, milk, bread crumbs, onion, salt, sage, and mushrooms in a large bowl. Crumble ground beef over mixture and stir well to combine. Shape into a round loaf; place in a 5-quart slow cooker. Cover and cook on Low until a meat thermometer reads 160 degrees F (71 degrees C), 5 to 6 hours.

Whisk ketchup, brown sugar, mustard, and Worcestershire sauce in a small bowl; spoon sauce over meat loaf. Return to slow cooker and cook on Low until heated through, about 15 minutes. Let stand 10 minutes before cutting.

Recipe found here: Melt-In-Your-Mouth Meat Loaf

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Recipe of the Day: Sensational Foil-Pack Vegetables

what you need
1 zucchini, cut into 1-1/2 inch chunks
1cup button mushrooms
1 each red and yellow pepper, cut into 1-1/2 inch squares
1cup large cherry tomatoes
1/4cup KRAFT Lite Zesty Italian Dressing
2Tbsp. KRAFT Grated Parmesan Cheese

COMBINE vegetables, tomatoes and dressing. Spoon onto center of large piece of heavy-duty foil. Bring up foil sides. Double fold top and ends to seal packet, leaving room for heat circulation inside.

GRILL 8 to 10 min. or until vegetables are crisp-tender, turning after 4 min.

CUT slits in foil to release steam before opening packet. Sprinkle vegetable mixture with cheese.

Recipe found here: Sensational Foil-Pack Vegetables

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Recipe of the Day: Spanish Orange Blossom Cupcakes *National Orange Blossom Day*

Spanish Orange Blossom Cupcakes

Ingredients
100g (4oz) butter or margarine
100g (4oz) caster sugar
100g (4oz) self-raising flour, sifted
2 eggs
1/4 teaspoon baking powder (optional)
1 orange, finely grated zest of
75g (3oz) butter
175g (7oz) icing sugar
2 teaspoons orange juice

Directions
Preheat the oven to 180°C (Electric oven | Electric fan oven 160°C | Gas Mark 4) and place 12 paper cases into a muffin tin.
Using an electric whisk, food processor or wooden spoon, beat the butter, sugar and 1/2 the orange zest (save 1/2 for the icing) until very light and fluffy.

Add the eggs one at a time, beating each one in well before adding the next.

Carefully fold in the flour (and baking powder if using).

Alternatively, you can mix the ingredients together using a food processor. Use the pulse button to mix together in between adding the ingredients in the order above.

Bake in the oven for 10 – 20 minutes. After 10 minutes, check to see if the orange cupcakes are ready by inserting a cocktail stick into one of the cupcakes. If it comes out dry then the cupcakes are done. If not, then back in the oven for a few minutes more. Don’t overcook the cupcakes otherwise they will dry out.

Lift the orange cupcakes out of the muffin tin and leave to cool on a wire rack.

Orange Butter Icing
Using an electric whisk, food processor or wooden spoon, beat the butter until very soft.

Gradually add the icing sugar and the rest of the orange zest and beat into the butter. Add some of the juice of the zested orange until you have a smooth paste.

When the cakes are cool, drizzle some orange icing mixture over the top. These cupcakes are best eaten on the day they are made.

Recipe found here: Spanish Orange Blossom Cupcakes

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Recipe of the Day: Farmer’s Market Vegetarian Quesadillas

Farmer’s Market Vegetarian Quesadillas

Ingredients
1/2 cup chopped red bell pepper
1/2 cup chopped zucchini
1/2 cup chopped yellow squash
1/2 cup chopped red onion
1/2 cup chopped mushrooms
1 tablespoon olive oil
cooking spray
6 (9 inch) whole wheat tortillas
1 1/4 cups shredded reduced-fat sharp Cheddar cheese

Directions
In a large nonstick pan, cook red pepper, zucchini, yellow squash, onion, and mushrooms in olive oil over medium to medium-high heat for about 7 minutes, or until just tender. Remove vegetables from pan.

Coat the same pan with cooking spray, and place one tortilla in pan. Sprinkle 1/4 cup of cheese evenly over tortilla, and layer 3/4 cup of the vegetable mixture over the cheese. Sprinkle another 1/8 cup of cheese on the vegetables, and top with a second tortilla. Cook until golden on both sides, for approximately 2 to 3 minutes per side. Remove quesadilla from pan, and repeat with remaining ingredients. Cut each quesadilla into 8 triangles with a pizza cutter. Serve hot.

Recipe found here: Farmer’s Market Vegetarian Quesadillas

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Recipe of the Day: Olive Garden Lasagna Rollata Al Forno

Olive Garden Lasagna Rollata Al Forno

Ingredients

Five Cheese Marinara Sauce
2 cups marinara sauce
2 cups alfredo sauce
1/2 cup ricotta cheese
1 cup italian blend shredded cheese
1/4 cup red wine

Filling
1 egg
15 ounces whole milk ricotta cheese
1 (8 ounce) mozzarella cheese, grated
1/2 cup parmesan cheese, grated
1/2 cup asiago cheese, grated
1/2 cup romano cheese, grated
1 tablespoon italian seasoning, blend
salt and pepper, to taste

Noodles
1 lb lasagna noodle
1/2 cup Italian breadcrumbs

Directions:

Blend first two marinara ingredients together in a large saucepan. Add remaining ingredients and heat on medium, stirring frequently. The cheese will melt and the sauce will become creamy. Keep warm.

Set aside 1/4 of mozzarella cheese. Beat egg into a large mixing bowl and add all remaining ingredients, blending well. Keep refrigerated until you are ready to use.

Cook lasagna exactly according to package directions. Drain and rinse immediately with cold water so they are cool enough to handle.

When ready to make, spread about 1/4 cup of marinara sauce in a large 9×13 baking dish. Based upon the number of noodles in your 1 lb of noodles, divide the filling accordingly. Lay one lasagna noodle in baking dish and spread with filling along noodle. Loosely roll the noodle up, jelly-roll style. Decide if this looks about right to you. If so, keep rolling the rest of the noodles. Otherwise use more filling per noodle and discard the extra noodles.

Continue with each lasagna noodle until all noodles are rolled and arranged in baking dish. Cover each roll with remaining sauce, the remaining mozzarella cheese and top with Italian breadcrumbs.

Bake in preheated oven at 350 degree for about 35 minutes.

Recipe found here: Olive Garden Lasagna Rollata Al Forno

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Recipe of the Day: Pecan Pralines *National Pralines Day*

Pecan Pralines

Ingredients
1 cup sugar
1 cup packed brown sugar
1 cup milk
8 large marshmallows
2 cups coarsely chopped pecans
2 tablespoons butter
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
Dash ground cinnamon

Directions
Lightly butter two baking sheets or line with waxed paper; set aside. In a saucepan, combine the sugars, milk and marshmallows. Cook and stir over low heat until marshmallows are completely melted. Cook over medium heat, stirring occasionally, until a candy thermometer reads 234°-240° (soft-ball stage).

Without stirring or scraping, pour hot liquid into another saucepan. Add the pecans, butter, vanilla and cinnamon. Stir rapidly until mixture is thickened and creamy, about 3 minutes. Drop quickly by rounded tablespoonfuls onto prepared pans. Flatten slightly. Let stand until set. Store in an airtight container. Yield: about 2 dozen.

Editor’s Note: We recommend that you test your candy thermometer before each use by bringing water to a boil; the thermometer should read 212°. Adjust your recipe temperature up or down based on your test.

Recipe found here: Pecan Pralines

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Recipe of the Day: Pecan Sandies *National Pecan Sandies Day*

Pecan Sandies

Ingredients
1 cup margarine, softened
1 cup vegetable oil
1 cup white sugar
1 cup confectioners’ sugar, sifted
2 eggs
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
4 cups all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon cream of tartar
1 teaspoon salt
2 cups chopped pecans
1/2 cup white sugar for decoration

Directions
Preheat oven to 375 degrees F (190 degrees C).
In a large bowl, cream together the margarine, vegetable oil, 1 cup white sugar and confectioners’ sugar until smooth. Beat in the eggs one at a time, then stir in the vanilla. Combine the flour, baking soda, cream of tartar and salt; stir into the creamed mixture. Mix in the pecans. Roll dough into 1 inch balls and roll each ball in remaining white sugar. Place the cookies 2 inches apart onto ungreased cookie sheets.
Bake for 10 to 12 minutes in the preheated oven, or until the edges are golden. Remove from cookie sheets to cool on wire racks.

Recipe found here: Pecan Sandies

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Recipe of the Day: Chocolate Eclairs *National Chocolate Eclairs Day*

Chocolate Eclairs

Ingredients
1/2 cup butter, cubed
1 cup water
1 cup all-purpose flour
1/4 teaspoon salt
4 eggs

FILLING:
2-1/2 cups cold milk
1 package (5.1 ounces) instant vanilla pudding mix
1 cup heavy whipping cream
1/4 cup confectioners’ sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla extract

CHOCOLATE ICING:
2 ounces semisweet chocolate
2 tablespoons butter
1 cup confectioners’ sugar
2 to 3 tablespoons hot water

Directions
In a large saucepan, combine butter and water. Bring to a rapid boil, stirring until the butter melts. Reduce heat to low; add flour and salt. Stir vigorously until mixture leaves the sides of the pan and forms a stiff ball. Remove from the heat. Add eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition.

With a tablespoon or a pastry tube fitting with a no. 10 or larger tip, spoon or pipe dough into 4-in.-long x 1-1/2-in.-wide strips on a greased baking sheet.

Bake at 450° for 15 minutes. Reduce heat to 325° bake 20 minutes longer. Cool on a wire rack.
For filling, in a large bowl, whisk milk and pudding mix for 2 minutes. Let stand for 2 minutes or until soft-set. In another large bowl, whip cream until soft peaks form. Beat in sugar and vanilla; fold into pudding. Fill cooled shells. (Chill remaining pudding mixture for another use.)

For icing, melt chocolate and butter in a small saucepan over low heat. Stir in sugar. Add hot water until icing is smooth and reaches desired consistency. Cool slightly. Spread over eclairs. Chill until serving. Yield: 8-9 servings.

Recipe found here: Chocolate Eclairs

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Recipe of the Day: Peaches and Cream Muffins *National Peaches and Cream Day*

Peaches and Cream Muffins

Ingredients
1 egg
1/2 cup milk or sour cream
1/4 cup vegetable oil
1-1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1/2 cup sugar
2 teaspoons baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 cup chopped fresh or frozen peaches, thawed

Directions
In a bowl, beat egg; add milk and oil. Combine flour, sugar, baking powder and salt; stir into the egg mixture just until moistened. Stir in the peaches.

Fill greased or paper-lined muffin cups three-fourths full. Bake at 400° for 20-25 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in a muffin comes out clean. Cool for 5 minutes before removing from pan to a wire rack. Yield: 10 muffins.

Recipe found here: Peaches and Cream Muffins

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