Recipe of the Week! Almond Rhubarb Coffee Cake

It's that time of year again, when the rhubarb is plentiful. It's sometimes hard going through the motions with the same old recipes time after time, so it's nice to venture outside the bubble a little. Here is a coffee cake that would be wonderful with some raspberry tea in the afternoon! What a great snack...

INGREDIENTS

• 1 1/2 cups packed brown sugar
• 2/3 cup vegetable oil
• 1 egg
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• 1 cup milk
• 1 1/2 cups rhubarb, chopped
• 1/2 cup sliced almonds
• 1/3 cup white sugar
• 1 tablespoon butter, melted
• 1/4 cup sliced almonds

DIRECTIONS

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Grease two 9 inch round pans.
2. In a large bowl, beat brown sugar, oil, egg, and vanilla together until smooth. Combine flour, salt and baking soda; add to sugar mixture alternately with milk. Beat until smooth. Stir in rhubarb and 1/2 cup almonds. Pour into prepared pans.
3. In a small bowl, combine white sugar and butter or margarine. Stir in 1/4 cup almonds. Sprinkle topping over batter.
4. Bake for 30 to 35 minutes, or until the cake tests done.

Recipe of the Week! Beer-Can Chicken

Chicken on the grill is always way better than conventional methods... This recipe is from cookinglight.com where there are hundreds of awesome recipes... There's nothing better than a recipe where the directions start out with.... "Open a can of beer... Drink half." Oh yeah.

Ingredients

• Chicken:
• 1 (12-ounce) can beer
• 1 cup hickory wood chips
• 2 teaspoons kosher or sea salt
• 2 teaspoons brown sugar
• 2 teaspoons sweet paprika
• 1 teaspoon coarsely ground black pepper
• 1 (4-pound) whole chicken
• Cooking spray
• 
  Sauce:
• 1/2 cup cola
• 1/2 cup ketchup
• 2 tablespoons Worcestershire sauce
• 1/2 teaspoon instant onion flakes
• 1/2 teaspoon instant minced garlic
• 1 1/2 teaspoons steak sauce (such as A-1)
• 1/2 teaspoon liquid smoke
• 1/4 teaspoon black pepper

Preparation

Open beer can; drink half. Carefully pierce top of beer can with "church-key" can opener several times; set aside. To prepare chicken, soak wood chips in water 1 hour. Combine salt, sugar, paprika, and pepper; set aside.

To prepare grill for indirect grilling, place a disposable aluminum foil pan in center of grill. Arrange charcoal around foil pan; heat to medium heat.

Remove and discard giblets and neck from chicken. Rinse chicken with cold water; pat dry. Trim excess fat. Starting at neck cavity, loosen skin from breast and drumsticks by inserting fingers, gently pushing between skin and meat.

Rub 2 teaspoons spice mixture under loosened skin. Rub 2 teaspoons spice mixture in body cavity. Rub 2 teaspoons spice mixture over skin. Slowly add remaining spice mixture to beer can (salt will make beer foam). Holding chicken upright with the body cavity facing down, insert beer can into cavity.

Drain wood chips. Place half of wood chips on hot coals. Coat grill rack with cooking spray. Place chicken on grill rack over drip pan. Spread legs out to form a tripod to support the chicken. Cover and grill 2 hours or until a meat thermometer inserted into meaty portion of thigh registers 180°. Add remaining wood chips after 1 hour and charcoal as needed.

Lift chicken slightly using tongs; place spatula under can. Carefully lift chicken and can; place on a cutting board. Let stand 5 minutes. Gently lift chicken using tongs or insulated rubber gloves; carefully twist can and remove from cavity. Discard skin and can.

To prepare sauce, combine cola and remaining ingredients in a saucepan; bring to a boil. Reduce heat, and simmer 6 minutes. Cool. Serve with chicken.

Recipe of the Week! Strawberry Shortcake

Nothing is as great as a fresh Strawberry Shortcake! I don't know about you, but during the winter I find myself making heavier desserts with chocolate and spices and rich flavors... But come spring time it's so refreshing to have something that's light and fresh and delicious! Serve this with the meal you cooked on the BBQ with a light wine like the VERY affordable Barefoot Moscato and it'll be sure to please.... :)

Ingredients

• 3 1/2 cups halved strawberries, divided
• 1/3 cup sugar
• 1/3 cup orange juice
• 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
• 1 teaspoon lemon juice
• 1 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
• 3 tablespoons sugar
• 1 teaspoon baking powder
• 1/4 teaspoon baking soda
• 1/8 teaspoon salt
• 3 tablespoons chilled stick margarine or butter, cut into small pieces
• 1/2 cup low-fat buttermilk**
• Cooking spray
• 6 tablespoons frozen reduced-calorie whipped topping, thawed
• Whole strawberries (optional)

Preparation

Combine 1 cup strawberry halves, 1/3 cup sugar, orange juice, vanilla, and lemon juice in a bowl, and mash with a potato masher. Stir in 2 1/2 cups strawberry halves. Cover and chill.

Preheat oven to 425°.

Lightly spoon flour into dry measuring cups; level with a knife. Combine flour, 3 tablespoons sugar, baking powder, baking soda, and salt in a bowl; cut in margarine with a pastry blender or 2 knives until mixture resembles coarse meal. Add buttermilk, stirring just until moist (dough will be sticky).

Turn dough out onto a lightly floured surface, and knead lightly 4 times with floured hands. Pat dough into a 6 x 4-inch rectangle. Cut dough into 6 squares. Place 1 inch apart on a baking sheet coated with cooking spray. Bake at 425° for 12 minutes. Cool on a wire rack.

Split shortcakes in half horizontally using a serrated knife; place each bottom half on a dessert plate. Spoon 1/4 cup strawberry mixture over each bottom half. Top with shortcake tops; spoon 1/4 cup strawberry mixture over each top. Top each serving with 1 tablespoon whipped topping; garnish with whole strawberries, if desired.

**if you don't have Buttermilk on hand, substitute whichever milk you have in your fridge. Measure out 2 tsp (approximately) Vinegar into your liquid measuring cup, and fill the rest of the way to 1/2 cup and let it sit for a minute... This will naturally curdle a little bit, but that's ok, it's supposed to.

Recipe of the Week! Tequila Mojitos

Mojitos are classic, cool cocktails that go great with just about anything. Including a hot summer day. Not too fruity, but just enough sweet to make them great, these are a must have drink for your warm weather parties! At a restaurant recently, I ordered one of the best Mojitos I've ever had... but maybe it was because there was a stick of Rock Candy in my glass that I used as a swizzle stick! Fun. Yum. Get your self some!

Ingredients

• 1 cup water
• 3/4 cup sugar
• 1 cup fresh mint sprigs
• 2 cups lemon-lime soft drink, chilled
• 1 cup fresh lime juice
• 1/2 cup tequila
• Garnish: fresh mint sprigs, lime slices
  

Preparation

1. Bring 1 cup water and sugar to a boil in a medium saucepan. Boil, stirring often, until sugar dissolves. Remove from heat; add mint sprigs, and let stand 2 hours or until mixture is completely cool.

2. Pour mixture through a wire-mesh strainer into a pitcher, discarding mint. Stir in lemon-lime soft drink, lime juice, and tequila. Serve over ice. Garnish, if desired.