Pineapple Cream Pie

Pineapple Cream Pie

Sunday dinner is just not complete without some kind of dessert. Our family favorite  seems to be pie and I felt the need to break out of the usual pie choices and try a new recipe. For some reason, I was intrigued with the idea of pineapple pie.

When I asked Ryan if he had ever had Pineapple Pie, I learned a little bit of our Centerton  history. Before I even thought about marrying a dairy farmer, Centerton had a couple, Thelma and Dale Woody,  that owned a restaurant business in Centerton on Main Street. Ryan had fond memories of Pineapple Pie made by Dale and served by Thelma. The story definitely pushed me to try the Pineapple Cream Pie recipe. The fact that the recipe I chose to use called for Dairy sour cream cinched the decision!

I had looked online for a recipe but decided to go to my old Better Homes and Gardens New Cook Book. My copy is nearly vintage now but  the outcome of this pie still proves its usefulness--at least for my kitchen! 

Pineapple Cream Pie

Ingredients:

3/4 cup sugar

1/4 cup all-purpose flour

1/2 teaspoon salt

1 1-pound 41/2 ounce can

   (2 1/2 cups) crushed pineapple, undrained

1 cup dairy sour cream

1 tablespoon lemon juice

2 slightly beaten egg yolks

1 9-in baked pastry shell

Meringue (made with 2 egg whites)

Directions:

In saucepan, combine sugar, flour, salt. Stir in next 3 ingredients. Cook and stir till mixture thickens and bubbles; cook and stir 2 minutes.Stir small amount hot mixture into yolks; return to hot mixture,

stirring constantly. Cook and stir 2 minutes. Spoon into cooled pastry shell. Spread meringue a top pie, sealing meringue to edge of pastry. Bake at 350 degrees for 12 to 15 minutes. Cool before cutting.

October Treat

Even though we can buy apples year round, there's just something special when given apples from a friend's own tree.  We don't know the name of the apple but I would describe them as a mild Granny Smith--slightly tart but perfect for baking in cake or pie.  Kicking off October with a new cake recipe that filled the kitchen with smells of cinnamon and apples seemed the perfect way to celebrate the gift of fall apples. I read through a lot of recipes posted on line and even though many were very similar to the one I chose, I trusted my old cookbook,Sassafras!

The recipe was easy to make and the brown sugar icing was finger lickin' good!
I'm pretty sure this cake will be a family favorite especially when you add a dip or two
of vanilla ice cream sprinkled with cinnamon.


Alley Spring Apple Cake

                                                              Ingredients:

1 cup vegetable oil
2 cups sugar
3 eggs, well beaten
1 tablespoon vanilla
2 1/2 cups flour
2 teaspoons baking powder
1 teaspoon cinnamon
1 teaspoon nutmeg
1/4  teaspoon cloves
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon salt
3 cups peeled, chopped apples
1 cup chopped pecans

Brown Sugar Icing:
 1 cup firmly packed brown sugar
 1/2 cup butter
 1/4 cup evaporated milk
 1 teaspoon vanilla

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Generously grease a bundt pan. In a large bowl, mix oil, sugar and eggs.
Add vanilla. Sift together flour, baking powder, cinnamon, nutmeg, soda and salt.
Blend into oil mixture. Fold in apples and pecans. Pour into prepared pan and bake 55 to 60 minutes.
Remove cake from pan and cool. To prepare icing, bring brown sugar, butter and milk to a boil, stirring constantly. Remove from heat and stir in vanilla. Beat with a spoon until icing is cool. Drizzle over cake. Serves 12 to 15.


                                                        Happy October!

Key Lime Pound Cake

 A  few weeks ago, I found this delicious Key Lime Pound Cake while scrolling on Facebook.
Many thanks to the author of The Irreverent Kitchen for sharing this dairy packed recipe!

From the reviews of family and friends, I'm adding this to my cake recipe collection!


Key Lime Pound Cake with Key Lime Cream Cheese Icing

Ingredients:
4 sticks butter, room temperature
3 cups sugar
6 large eggs, room temperature                                                         
4 cups all-purpose flour
1/2 cup fresh key lime juice
1/4 cup evaporated milk
4 teaspoons key lime zest,minced
1 teaspoon vanilla

Directions:
Preheat oven to 300 degrees F. Cover inside of 10 inch tube pan with non-stick spray.
Beat butter with stand-up or electric hand-held mixer until light in color and fluffy.
One at a time, add the eggs and beat only until yellow disappears.
Stir juice, milk,zest and vanilla together.
Now mixing by hand, gradually add flour to the butter egg mixture alternating with the key lime juice
and milk mixture. Begin and end with flour. Mix well but just enough to incorporate all ingredients.
Pour evenly into the tube pan and tap pan on the counter to loosen any air bubbles.
Bake for 1 hour and 45 minutes or until cake tester comes out clean.
cool on a cooling rack for 20-25 minutes in the pan then transfer from pan to cooling rack and allow to cool another hour or until completely cool.

Key Lime Cream Cheese Icing

Ingredients:
3-4 Tablespoons butter, room temperature
4 cups confectioner's sugar,sifted
1/2 cup freshly squeezed key lime juice
2-3 teaspoons key lime zest
1 teaspoon vanilla

Directions:
Using a hand mixer, beat cream cheese and butter in a large bowl until well mixed.
Add confectioner's sugar  and beat well until completely smooth and fluffy.
Add key lime juice, zest, and vanilla and mix until all ingredients are incorporated.
Ice cake.
The excess icing was used to fill the middle hole of the cake and when the cake is served, icing can
be dolloped next to the side of a slice of cake.

                                     
                                               Don't forget your dips of vanilla ice cream!

Fall Dairy Recipe

Happy Fall,Ya'll!  As I was browsing through the recipes on the Midwest Dairy website, I found a recipe just made for filling the kitchen with the smell of fall...Baked Apples with Cinnamon Yogurt Topping. 

Just reading the recipe brought back memories of my childhood when my Mother would bake apples in the fall or winter. The sweet smell of cinnamon and apples would fill the house. I'm ready to make some fall memories with a little dairy...how about you?

Baked Apples with Cinnamon Yogurt Topping

Ingredients:

4 Granny smith or Gala Apples with or       without skin

1/4 cup unsweetened apple juice or apple cider

1/4 cup brown sugar

2 tablespoons cornstarch

1/2 teaspoon cinnamon

1/4 teaspoon nutmeg

Directions:

For Baked Apples

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Spray an 8x8 inch baking dish with non-stick cooking spray; set aside.

Core and thinly slice apples. Place apples in a medium bowl and toss with apple juice. Mix brown sugar, cornstarch,cinnamon, nutmeg and salt together in small bowl. Sprinkle over apples and stir gently until apples are coated.

Pour apples into prepared baking dish. Bake 40 minutes or until apples are slightly browned at edges and sauce is bubbling.

For Yogurt Topping

2 1/2 cups low-fat plain yogurt

1 teaspoon honey

1/4 teaspoon cinnamon

Line a colander with several paper towels and place over a bowl to catch drips. Pour yogurt into colander and allow to drain refrigerated about 30 minutes. Spoon yogurt into a small bowl and stir in honey and cinnamon.

For each serving, top 1/4  of the warm apples with 1/4 of the yogurt topping.

September's Smoothie

How are you celebrating  the first day of September?

So far, we're celebrating birthdays down on the Arkansas dairy farm.

I think that calls for a September Smoothie!

If you need a quick,nutritious, refreshment  for your action packed Saturday,

try a Apple Yogurt Smoothie I'm sharing from Midwest Dairy

                                 Apple Yogurt Smoothie

Ingredients:

                                                       2 cups low-fat vanilla yogurt                                                         

1 medium Granny smith apple,cored,

    peeled and diced

  1/2 cup orange juice

  2 tablespoons honey

 5-6 ice cubes.

                                                                       Directions: 

                                Mix all ingredients in a blender or food processor until smooth.
                                                                 Pour into 2 tall glasses. 

                            Garnish with sliced almonds, fresh mint and dollop of honey, if desired.

                                                          Happy September!

Arkansas Grown Fruit Smoothie

One of our workshops at the Arkansas Farm Bureau Leadership Conference was a cooking workshop promoting the use of Arkansas grown foods.Our cooking expert, Arkansas Cooperative Extension Agent Leigh Ann Bullington, was highlighting  Arkansas fruits and vegetables. It didn't take the dairy farmers in the room too long to point out that milk was also a featured Arkansas product!

It would be hard to have a smoothie without dairy products and the featured fruit at the workshop was strawberry. The strawberry smoothie  was delicious and made us all look forward to trying all the other Arkansas fruits that will be available soon.

Arkansas Grown Fruit Smoothie

Ingredients:

1/2 cup fresh or frozen Arkansas grown fruit

  (blackberries,blueberries,strawberries,peaches

     or other fruit of your choice) no sugar added

1 cup low fat vanilla yogurt

1/2 cup low fat milk

1/4-1/2 cup ice, to desired consistency

Directions:

Add all ingredients to the blender pitcher and mix until desired consistency.

Tip: If you think it needs to be a little sweeter, you might add a little Arkansas honey!

Dairy Delight for 2018

What better way to end 2017 or begin the  new year  than with an Undeniably Dairy dessert!

Raspberry Delight, also known in our family as Purple Puddin', originated from my mother-in-law Bonnah Lyn's limited  recipe files.  Bonnah Lyn was a wonderful cook and did most of her cooking without any recipes to follow so I  cherish each hand written recipe card that I inherited from her limited collection. Thank goodness she wrote instructions for Raspberry Delight so that we could continue to enjoy a family favorite!


 Raspberry Delight

1 can sweetened condensed milk
Juice of 2 lemons
1/2 pint heavy cream, whipped
4 Tablespoons Seedless Black Raspberry Jam
1 cup of  chopped walnuts (optional)
1 box Vanilla wafer cookies

Mix the sweetened condensed milk with the juice of 2 lemons and set aside.
In a separate bowl, whip the cream; fold in the jam and mix thoroughly. Add this mixture to the sweetened condensed milk mixture.

In an 8 x 8 in. pan, line the bottom with vanilla wafers; add a layer of purple mixture, top with nuts (if desired) and a layer of vanilla wafers; repeat the layers. Chill and serve.


                           From down on the dairy farm, we hope your new year is Dairy Good!

                                                   
                                                                    Happy 2018!

Arkansas Cake and Ice Cream

One of the benefits of being a Carrol Electric customer is the free subscription to the cooperative's  monthly   magazine Arkansas Living. Recipes from great Arkansas cooks is one of my favorite magazine features. I love collecting these recipes and will be adding  Blueberry Cream Cheese Pound Cake.  This delicious cake recipe was submitted by Doris Houser of Lockesburg and featured in the March 2017 issue.  Many thanks to Doris for sharing this delicious dessert recipe.


This turned out to be a perfect and quick recipe for an impromptu get together with family and friends.
Of course, you must add that huge dip of vanilla
ice cream  for the perfect topping!





Blueberry Cream Cheese Pound Cake

1 8-ounce package cream cheese, softened
1/2 cup vegetable oil
1 yellow butter cake mix
1 3-ounce package instant vanilla pudding mix
4 eggs,beaten
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
2 cups blueberries,fresh or frozen

Preheat oven 325 degrees F. Lightly spray 9-inch tube or Bundt pan with cooking spray and dust with flour.

Combine cream cheese and oil in medium bowl. Beat with mixer until smooth and creamy. Add cake mix,pudding mix, eggs and vanilla. Beat at medium speed until blended. Fold in berries (batter will be thick).Spoon batter into prepared pan. Bake 60 minutes or until toothpick comes out clean.  Cool cake in pan on wire rack 20 minutes. Remove cake from pan and cool completely on a wire rack

Topping,optional:
Sprinkle powdered sugar on top or make a glaze using 3/4-cup powdered sugar and 1 tablespoon grape juice (or more for desired consistency).

Farmer Celebrates June Dairy Month with a Birthday

It seems fitting for a dairy farmer to celebrate his birthday during June Dairy Month! It's a tradition in our family for the birthday celebrant to choose the kind of cake or pie for his day. Ryan's favorite is his mother's recipe for  Applesauce Cake. Thank goodness I inherited  my mother-in-law's recipe box and can fulfill his request!

Applesauce Cake


2 cups unsweetened applesauce
2 cups sugar
2 cups flour
1 cup raisins
1 cup black walnuts
2 Tablespoons butter
2 teaspoons baking soda
1 teaspoon cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon nutmeg
1/2 teaspoon ground cloves

Mix sugar,flour, and spices together. Soak raisins in water,squeeze and then add to flour mixture.
Heart applesauce and butter. Add baking soda and applesauce to flour mixture.  Stir in nuts.
Bake  in floured and greased 13 x 9 inch pan at 350 degrees for 45 minutes . Cool completely before adding icing.

Icing:
6 Tablespoons Butter
3 1/2 cups sifted confectioners' sugar
Light cream (about 1/4 cup)
1 teaspoon vanilla

Cream butter; gradually add about half the sugar, blending well. Beat in 2 tablespoons cream and vanilla. Gradually blend in remaining sugar. Add enough cream to make of spreading consistency.

                              Serve with several scoops of vanilla ice cream for best results!

Sweet Mother'sDay

                                          Mother's Day is one of the sweetest celebrations
                                                   when surrounded by the ones you love.

                                It was a great time of food, fellowship and of course...dessert!
                                  You can't beat a piece of Crusty Cream Cheese Pound Cake
                                             topped with strawberries and vanilla ice cream.
                     

Crusty Cream Cheese Pound Cake

1 cup butter, softened
1/2 cup shortening
3 cups sugar
1 8 oz  pkg. cream cheese,softened
3 cups sifted cake flour
6 eggs
1 Tablespoon vanilla

Cream butter and shortening; gradually add sugar, beating well at medium speed with electric mixer.
Add cream cheese,beating well until light and fluffy. Alternately add flour, and eggs, beginning and ending with flour. Stir in vanilla.

Pour batter into greased and floured 10 inch tube pan. Bake at 325 degrees for 1 hour and 15 minutes or until pick comes out clean. Cool in pan 10 minutes, remove from pan and let cool completely on wire rack.

                                                    Happy Mother's Day!

Holiday Helper Recipe

As I was thumbing through my recipe file this past week, Sausage Breakfast Casserole from Simply Recipes  was the perfect holiday helper  recipe for my Christmas morning schedule that included calf feeding and making it to church on time.

I heartily recommend Sausage Breakfast Casserole for anytime you need a holiday helper recipe or trying to feed a hungry family!


Sausage Breakfast Casserole

Ingredients:

1 lb pork sausage, (cooked,drained,crumbled)
4 1/2 cups cubed day old bread
2 cups shredded sharp cheddar cheese
10 eggs slightly beaten
4 cups whole milk
1 teaspoon dry mustard
1 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon onion powder (optional)
Fresh ground pepper to taste
1/2 cup sliced mushrooms (optional)
1/2 cup peeled, chopped tomato (optional)

Directions:

1. Heat a skillet on medium high. Break up the sausage into chunks and cook, working in batches if need be, until browned all around. Make sure the chunks of sausage have some space around them or your meat will steam and not brown. Remove the cooked sausage from the pan and let sit on paper towels on a plate to soak up the excess fat. Crumble into smaller pieces.

2. Place bread in a well buttered  9 x 13  inch baking pan. Sprinkle with cheese. Combine the eggs, milk, dry mustard, onion powder and pepper. Pour evenly over the bread and cheese. Sprinkle sausage and optional ingredients over the top.

3. At this stage you can cover and chill overnight, if you want to prepare ahead. If not, let sit for 10 minutes before putting in the oven. Preheat oven to 325 degrees F. Bake uncovered for about one hour. Tent with foil if top begins to brown too quickly.

Cafe-Au-Lait Kind of Day

                                       Although winter won't begin until December 21st,
                                    Sunday afternoon calf feeding chores  must have been
                                     a trial run just to see how many layers of clothes we can
                                                               get on under the rain suit.

Midwest Dairy's Hazelnut Cafe-Au-Lait was a perfect beverage

 choice after feeding calves on a damp and chilly Sunday afternoon. 

                            

Hazelnut Cafe-Au-Lait                           


Ingredients:

3 cups 1% low-fat milk
2 cups brewed coffee
3 tablespoons hazelnut-cocoa spread*
Dash ground cinnamon
3 tablespoons whipped cream


Directions:

Microwave milk,coffee and hazelnut spread in a large,heat proof glass bowl on high for 2 minutes or until mixture is hot,not boiling. Whip with a hand mixer or whisk until frothy. Pour into 3 serving cups. Top with whipped cream and dust with cinnamon.


Yield: 3 servings


Helpful Tips:

*Nutella was used for this recipe
To save time, use a can of pressurized whipped cream to top the drink.

Halloween Cheesy Treat

We never get too old for treats on Halloween so why not plan  a little cheesy treat for  your family? Midwest Dairy's  Cheese Lovers Pizza Squares is perfect for supper before, after or in-between greeting the Halloween characters that may show up at your house to collect a treat.

Cheese Lovers Pizza Squares

Ingredients;

1 can refrigerated pizza dough
1 cup Ricotta cheese
2 cups (8 oz,) shredded low-moisture part-skim
   Mozzarella cheese
2 ounces turkey pepperoni,diced
2 plum tomatoes, thinly sliced
1 cup yellow pepper,sliced
1 teaspoon oregano
2 tablespoons chopped parsley


Directions:

Preheat oven to 400 degrees F. Press pizza dough into 15 x 10-inch jelly roll pan.

Bake for 12 minutes; remove from oven and spread Ricotta cheese over crust. Top with Mozzarella,pepperoni,tomatoes,pepper and oregano.

Return to oven and bake for 6 minutes or until cheese is melted. Sprinkle with parsley, cut into squares and serve.

Yield: 10 servings

                                                                 Happy Halloween!

Dairy Spooks

                                               

                                           Here's a little  dairy fun   for  your spooks!

                                                                       

Spooky Ghost Milkshakes

Ingredients:

2 cups reduced fat milk

1 cup vanilla frozen yogurt

2 tablespoons chocolate chips,melted

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Directions:

In a microwave safe bowl, melt the chocolate chips at 50% power  for 4 seconds,stir and repeat at 10 second intervals until melted.

Using a clean paintbrush, paint ghost face on the side of a clear cup.

Allow to set (5 minutes).

In a blender, combine the milk,frozen yogurt and vanilla.

Pour into prepared cups.

*Recipe provided courtesy of Florida Dairy Farmers/Midwest Dairy Association

Memory Making Pie

How will you begin your fall celebration? I started mine  by baking  Autumn Pumpkin Pie, a Southern Living recipe that's been in my recipe file box since 1987. The first time I baked this pie, I took it to Sunday dinner with my in-laws. I never dreamed that my mother-in-law would ask me for a recipe because she was such a wonderful cook. Obviously, the recipe made the family favorite list.  It was one of those proud daughter-in-law moments and a sweet memory for me.

 We love regular pumpkin pie but this is just a little fancier and perfect for any special occasion. Of course, you always serve it with a big scoop (or two)  of vanilla ice cream!


Autumn Pumpkin Pie

Ingredients:

2 eggs, slightly beaten
3 cups cooked,mashed pumpkin
1 (12 oz) can evaporated milk
1 cup sugar
1/4 cup all purpose flour
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon ground ginger
1/2 teaspoon ground allspice
1/4 teaspoon ground cloves
1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg
1 unbaked 10 inch pie shell

Topping:
1/4 cup butter,melted
1/2 cup flour
1/2 cup packed brown sugar
1/2 cup chopped pecans

Combine first 12 ingredients; blend well. Pour into pastry shell. Bake at 400 degrees for 10 minutes. Reduce heat to 350 degrees and bake an additional 35 minutes.

Combine butter,1/2 cup flour, and brown sugar; blend well. Stir in pecans; sprinkle mixture on pie. Bake at 350 degrees for 10 minutes.

Yield: One  10 inch pie

Sweet August

I can't think of a better way to end July and welcome  August than with a big scoop of vanilla ice cream on top of a delicious piece of White Texas Sheet Cake.  This Taste of Home magazine recipe has been in my recipe collection file since 1993 but today was my first time to bake and serve it to my family.  It was easy to make and  a perfect Sunday dessert to serve the family!

White Texas Sheet Cake

Ingredients:
1 cup butter
1 cup water
2 cups all-purpose flour
2 cups sugar
2 eggs,beaten
1/2 cup sour cream
1 teaspoon almond extract
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon baking soda

Frosting:
1/2 cup butter
1/4 cup milk
4 1/2 cups confectioners' sugar,sifted
1/2 teaspoon almond extract
1 cup chopped walnuts, optional


Directions:

In a large saucepan, bring butter and water to a boil. Remove from the heat; stir in flour,sugar,eggs, sour cream, almond extract, salt and baking soda until smooth. Pour into a greased 15-in x 10-in. baking pan. Bake at 375 degrees for 20-22 minutes or until cake is golden and tests done. Cool for 20 minutes. Meanwhile, for frosting, combine butter and milk in a saucepan. Bring to a boil. Remove from the heat; add sugar and extract and mix well. Stir in walnuts if desired; spread over warm cake.

Yield: 16-20 servings

                                                               Happy August!

Ice Cream Month

We enjoy ice cream all year at my house but homemade ice cream is our special summer time treat down on the dairy farm. A bowl of homemade ice cream kicks off   every  July 4th celebration.

If you're a serious ice cream eater, you will  enjoy Candy Bar Ice Cream from the Sassafras Cookbook by  the Junior League of Springfield, Missouri.  It's a fact,there is no bad ice cream! 

Candy Bar Ice Cream

6  2.16-ounce Butterfinger candy bars,frozen

1  3-ounce package vanilla instant pudding mix

1  14 ounce cans sweetened condensed milk

1   tablespoon vanilla

1/2 gallon milk

Crush frozen candy bars into very coarse crumbs. Combine crushed candy bars, pudding mix,condensed milk and vanilla in an ice cream freezer. Add milk to within 1 inch of fill line. Freeze according to manufacturer's directions. Makes 3 quarts.

Here's the scoop on  ways to celebrate Ice Cream Month:

• Enough Ice Cream? by Farmer Bright
• Mint Chocolate Ice Cream by Kimmi’s Dairyland
• Why this Ice Cream Addict has a New Addiction: Ice Cream Sandwiches by New Mexico Milkmaid
• Sprinklers, Fans and Ice Cream in the Barn Modern-day Farm Chick
• Here’s the Scoop on My 5 Favorite Ice Cream Recipes by Eat Farm Love
• Apple Cinnamon Oatmeal a la Mode by New Day Dairy
• Gimme the Jimmies by The Deere Milkmaid
• Ice Cream Month by Spotted Cow Blog
• Oregon Ice Cream by Guernsey Dairy Mama
• In Celebration of Ice Cream by New Moon Farms
• Sadie’s Homemade Ice Cream by Dairy Good Life
• The Best Ice Cream Stand by Raising a Farmer

Muffins and Milk

Garrett Lance from Howard County convinced us that Cheesy Muffins would be a perfect menu  addition with our favorite soup or chili.  Cheesy Muffins brought a fourth place win at the Arkansas Farm Bureau Dairy Foods Contest.

My only suggestion for this recipe is to serve with a big glass of cold milk!

Cheesy Muffins

Ingredients:


1 1/2 cup flour
1 1/2 Tablespoons sugar
1 Tablespoon baking powder
1/2  Tablespoon salt
1 cup shredded Colby-Jack cheese
1 cup shredded mild cheddar cheese
1 cup shredded Monterey Jack cheese
1 cup milk
1 egg
1/4 cup melted butter

Directions:

Whisk together dry ingredients and then stir in cheese. In a separate bowl, whisk egg, milk and butter together. Pour milk mixture into dry ingredients and stir with a spoon to combine. Bake in greased muffin tins at 375 degrees for 20-25 minutes.  Makes 12.

Serving Suggestions: Add 1/4 cup green chilies in batter for a Mexican flair.
                                   Great with soup or chili.

June Dairy Month Lasagna

If you love lasagna, you will love Farmer's Market Lasagna.  Adam Richter of Boone County  won third place  with this winning combination of fresh herbs and dairy products in the Main Dish category  of the Arkansas Farm Bureau Dairy Foods Contest.



Farmer's Market Lasagna

Ingredients:

Pan spray such as Pam
Aluminum foil
Deep dish 9 x 13 pan
2 Tablespoons extra-virgin oil
3/4 lb. ground beef
1 lb. ground pork
1 teaspoon Cavendar's Greek Seasoning
1 small finely chopped yellow onion (about 3/4 cup)
2 cloves garlic,finely chopped
1 sprig rosemary (stem removed),finely chopped
1 sprig oregano (stem removed), finely chopped
1/2 bunch parsley (stems removed), finely chopped
2 24 oz. cans Hunt's 100% Natural Simply Pasta Sauce
15 oz. container whole milk ricotta cheese
1/2 cup heavy whipping cream
1 large egg
1 teaspoon Italian herbs
24 oz. shredded Italian blend cheese
1 package ready to bake lasagna noodles
2 cups loosely packed fresh spinach,chopped

Directions:

Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Spray pan and set aside.

Meat Filling: Place 1 tablespoon olive oil,ground beef,pork, Cavendar's Seasoning and onion into skillet. cook until meat is cooked through and is crumbly. Remove from heat.

Red Sauce: Place 1 tablespoon olive oil, chopped garlic, rosemary,oregano and parsley into pan and heat over medium heat for approximately 2 minutes to release fragrance. Add sauce and stir to combine. Remove from heat.

White Sauce: In a mixing bowl, combine ricotta cheese, heavy whipping cream, egg and Italian herbs. Whisk or stir with spoon  until smooth. Now it's time to layer. Using a ladle, add a small amount of red sauce to cover the bottom of the pan. Add a layer of noodles. Cover the noodles with a small amount of red sauce, white sauce then sprinkle with meat, spinach and cheese. Repeat these layers two more times for a total of 3 layers. Cover the lasagna with foil and bake for 45 minutes.Remove foil and continue baking for an additional 20 minutes or until all sides are bubbling and top is browning slightly. Let lasagna sit at room temperature for at least 10 minutes prior to serving in order for the sauce to set and allow for better serving.

Dairy Recipe Winner

If you love strawberry shortcake, you will love  Bossy's Buttermilk LeMoo-Cakes created by Aggie Richter of  Boone County for the Arkansas Farm Bureau Dairy Foods contest.  It's a perfect recipe for enjoying dairy products and local Arkansas grown fruits during June Dairy Month!

Bossy's Buttermilk LeMoo-Cakes

Cake Ingredients:

1 cup unsalted butter,room temperature
2 cups granulated sugar
6 eggs
Zest of 2 lemons (approximately 1 teaspoon)
1/2 cup fresh lemon juice (takes about 2 large lemons)
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/4 teaspoon soda
1/2 teaspoon sea salt
3 cups all-purpose flour
1 cup buttermilk

Topping Ingredients:

Heavy whipping cream
2 tablespoons powdered sugar
1-2 tablespoons honey
1 pound of seasonal berries-strawberries,blackberries,raspberries are all perfect for this recipe.


Cake Directions:

Preheat oven to 325 degrees. Spray muffin pans with Pam. Place butter and sugar in mixer with whisk attachment. Beat on medium-low until butter and sugar are creamy. You may need to stop the mixer and scrape down the bowl a few times. While mixture continues to beat, add eggs one at a time until the mixture is smooth. Add lemon zest,lemon juice, vanilla extract and continue mixing. Add 1 cup flour,1/3 cup buttermilk. Mix until incorporated. Repeat two more times. Using a cookie scoop, measure batter and fill muffin tins 3/4 full. Place in oven and bake for approximately 20-22 minutes. Use a toothpick and test center to make sure cakes are done before removing from oven. Let cool on counter for 10 minutes before removing from pan.

Topping Directions:

While the cakes are baking, remove any stems from the berries and if needed slice into bite sized pieces. Rinse under cool water and drain. Place fruit in a bowl, drizzle with honey and toss slightly. Let sit at room temperature until cakes have finished baking (up to 30 minutes). This allows the berries to release their juices and creates a sweet sauce for the cakes. Using a whisk, beat together the heavy whipping cream and powdered sugar until it forms slight "peaks". Keep in the refrigerator until ready to serve. Once cakes have cooled slightly, place on plates and add a spoon of whipping cream and fresh berries. Cakes served warm.