National Fig Newton Day

Fig Newton Recipe

Ingredients:

1 cup sugar

1/2 cup butter

1/2 tsp baking soda

1/4 tsp salt

2 cups sifted flour

1 egg, beaten

1 tsp vanilla

1 cup of roughly chopped dried figs

1tbsp honey

Directions:

Preheat oven to 350.

Place the figs in a small bowl, cover with hot water, and soak for 10 minutes.

Remove the figs from the water with a slotted spoon and place in the bowl of a food processor. Add the honey and 1 tablespoon of the soaking liquid. Puree until smooth and spreadable.

Blend sugar and butter. Sift dry ingredients together, add alternately with beaten egg to sugar mixture. Add vanilla. Pinch off dough about size of baseball. Roll to 1/8 inch thickness and about 5 inch wide by 12 inch long strip.

In the center of a 5x12 inch strip, spread the cooked fig mixture. Fold one side of dough over the fig mixture, fold the other side to where they lap. Flip the folded side down on greased cookie sheet. Bake at 350 degrees for 15-20 minutes. Cut into bars while still warm.

National Strawberry Ice Cream Day (& Philly Cheesesteak stuffed Green Peppers)

Homemade Strawberry Ice Cream

Ingredients:

2 cups coconut milk fat

1 1/2  cups frozen strawberries (about 1 1/2 c)

1/3 c honey

Instructions:

In a blender, blend all ingredients until smooth.

Pour into a sealable Tupperware, and put in the freezer for 2 hour increments and mix around to get ice cream consistency

After about 6-8 hours it should be ready to serve

Philly Cheesesteak Stuffed Bellpeppers

Ingredients:

8 oz. thinly sliced roast beef

10 slices provolone cheese

2 large green bell peppers

1 medium sweet onion

8-10 baby bella mushrooms, sliced

2 tbs. olive oil

3 cloves of garlic – minced

salt and pepper – to taste 1/4 cup cream cheese 4 tbsp of milk

Directions:

In a saucepan put the cream cheese and milk and as it warms mix it together. Then put 2 slices of provolone cheese and 1 clove of garlic minced. Makes a cream sauce to mix with the meat and veggies.

Preheat oven to 400*

Slice peppers in half lengthwise, remove ribs and seeds.

Slice onions and mushrooms. Saute over medium heat with butter, olive oil, minced garlic and a little salt and pepper. Saute until onions and mushroom are nice and caramelized.

Slice roast beef into thin strips and add to the onion/mushroom Mixture. Allow to cook 5-10 minutes

Add cream sauce to the mixture.

Line the inside of each pepper with a slice of provolone cheese.

Fill each pepper with meat mixture until they are nearly overflowing.

Top each pepper with another slice of provolone cheese.

Bake for 15-20 minutes until the cheese on top is golden brown.

National Hot Pastrami Day (& Avocado Mousse)

Hot Pastrami Sandwich

Ingredients:

2 tsp of softened butter or margerine


1 yellow onion, sliced in ¼ inch slices


16 oz thin sliced pastrami


4 slices rye bread

2 tsp  mustard
(we used a garlic mustard aioli)

4 slices of any type of white cheese (we used pepperjack jalapeno)

2 large kosher pickles, thinly sliced lengthwise

Preparation

Caramelized Onions:


Heat up a heavy bottomed sauté pan over medium heat and add 2 tablespoons of Olive oil. Add onions to heated oil and continue to toss over medium/low heat until onions are caramelized evenly. Be sure to keep mixing this to avoid burning. Finish with a small amount of fresh ground black pepper. No salt needed here as the pastrami, pickles and Dijon will add enough salt to this melt.

Pastrami:


Heat up a heavy bottomed sauté pan on high heat. Add 1 tablespoon of olive oil and bring to almost smoking temperature. Add pastrami and sauté for 4-5 minutes until starting to brown. Remove from heat immediately.

Assembly of sandwiches:


Generously butter each slice of bread on one side and lay buttered side down. Add (in this order): ½ teaspoon Dijon mustard spread thinly on bread, 1 slice of cheese, 1 oz caramelized onions (add more if you like!), 4 oz seared pastrami, pickle slices, 1 slice of cheese, and top it off with 1 slice buttered Rye Bread with ½ tablespoon Dijon spread on non buttered side (buttered side out).

Cooking:


Heat griddle to about 350°F. Place all sandwiches on griddle. Allow Melts to cook SLOWLY. If your heat is too high it will burn the bread and the inside will not be hot. Once golden brown, gently flip and repeat until cheese is melted and the inside is hot. If the bread browns prior to the inside being hot, place pan with sandwiches in oven at 450°F to allow to finish.

Chocolate Avocado Mousse

Ingredients:

2 avocados, peeled

3 tablespoons dark cocoa powder

3 tablespoon agave nectar

1/4 cup water

Instructions:

Simply blend all until smooth.