Vietnamese Spring Roll Salad

Glazed Pork
1/4 c sugar
1/2 c water
2 t fish sauce
2 t soy sauce
2 T oil

Heat water and sugar over medium high heat until carmelized (about 15 minutes). Remove from heat. Slowly drizzle in 4 T or so of hot water and whisk until smooth and coats the back of spoon. Add fish sauce, soy sauce, and oil. Brush onto meat. Let sit 20 minutes and grill:

1 lb. pork loin, sliced into large 1/4 in thick pieces

Let sit for 10 minutes, then slice thinly. (Note: Don't dip the yucky raw pork brush into your glaze, just drizzle it on and then brush. Reserve left over marinade to pour over your salad because it is sooooooo good!)

Meanwhile, whisk or blend together:

Hoisin Sauce
1/4 c. hoisin sauce
1/4 c. peanut butter
2 cloves garlic, crushed
1 T rice vinegar
Water until consistency desired

And chop up:

Lettuce
Basil
Cilantro
Chives/Green Onions
Carrots (shredded)
Cucumbers (very long, thin slices)
Noodles (thin, rice, whatever)

This can be made as a salad, as lettuce wraps, or in traditional rice-paper wrappers. I love the idea of wraps, but the truth is they are so messy we always end up eating it as a jumbled up salad, anyway! This is our new family favorite, and pork is so cheap that when you add herbs from the garden it is a very inexpensive but tasty meal that satisfies the meat lovers, veggie lovers, and pasta lovers alike in our family.

From: nessaandmichael.blogspot.com

Carlo’s Bakery Simple Buttercream Frosting

Ingredients:
1 cup sugar
3 tablespoons corn syrup
1/2 cup water
3 eggs
1 pinch salt
1 pound butter

Directions:
1.Put sugar, corn syrup and water in a saucepan over high heat.
2.Meanwhile, beat eggs and salt until fluffy.
3.When all of the sugar is dissolved and the mixture is boiling, pour over beating eggs.
4.Cut butter into cubes.
5.When the eggs-sugar bowl is lukewarm to the touch, slowly add butter while continuing
to beat until fluffy and smooth.

Quick and Easy Flourless Torte

• 8 oz Ghiradelli Bittersweet Chocolate, chopped
• 1/2 cup butter
• 3/4 cup white sugar
• 3 eggs, beaten
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 300 degrees F (150 degrees C). Grease an 8 inch round cake pan, and dust with cocoa powder. (NOTE: Use a spring form pan or put parchment on the bottom of the cake pan.)
   
2. In the top of a double boiler over lightly simmering water, melt chocolate and butter. Remove from heat, and stir in sugar, cocoa powder, eggs, and vanilla. Pour into prepared pan.
3. Bake in preheated oven for 35-40 minutes. Let cool in pan for 10 minutes, then turn out onto a wire rack and cool completely. Slices can also be reheated for 20 to 30 seconds in the microwave before serving.

From: allrecipes.com

Microwave Corn on the Cob

Why would one need to know this method? Let's just say that if you happen to buy a bunch of corn on the cob and come home to realize that you do not own a pot big enough to boil it all in, this method is handy. Ah, the beauty of google.

Soak corn, husk and all, in a large pot or the sink for at least 1/2 hour. I soaked mine for probably about an hour or so.

Drain and stick 2 ears of corn in the microwave for about 8-9 minutes.

Let corn cool for about 10-15 minutes. Shuck and enjoy!

This tasted just as good as boiling it.

Good Things to Come

Cookie Salad

If it's a salad, it's got to be healthy, right?

This is the original recipe:

1 pint strawberries
2 cups seedless grapes
1 small can pineapple tidbits, drained
2 bananas, sliced
1 12 oz carton Cool Whip
1 3 oz package instant vanilla pudding
1 cup buttermilk
1 pkg fudge striped cookies, broken

Combine fruit. Mix Cool Whip, buttermilk, & dry pudding mix and a separate bowl. Fold into fruit. Just before serving, fold in broken cookies. Serves 20.

You can vary the fruit. Example- use 2 lbs. strawberries, 5 bananas, 1 can pineapple chunks (drained), and 1 can mandarin oranges (drained). (That's just for the single recipe, not doubled.) Use the store brand fudge-striped cookies. Cheaper and not as waxy.

From: Melody's blog

Guacamole

2 avocados
1 roma tomato
1 shallot the size of a quarter
2 cloves of garlic
1 lime
1 jalapeno pepper

Chop everything up and mix together. Add salt to taste. I've also added cilantro which is good.

From: Trader Jo's Guacamole Kit