Strawberries and Cream Cake

This decadent cake is perfect when sweet, ripe, organic strawberries are in season!  Stunningly beautiful to the eye and the tastebuds!

Serves 12-14, 2 layer 9" cake

For the cake:
6 eggs, separated
1 cup sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 1/4 cups unbleached A/P flour
1/4 cup tapioca starch
1/4 cup butter, melted
1/2 cup half and half or milk

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Grease with butter and line with parchment paper 2 9" round cake pans.

In the bowl of a stand mixer or in a large bowl with a handheld mixer, beat the egg whites until soft peaks form. Sprinkle the sugar over the egg whites and beat again until stiff peaks form. Add the egg yolks and vanilla and mix to combine.

Sift together the flour and starch. Add this to the meringue, folding in gently with a rubber spatula.

Combine the milk and melted butter. Add this to the meringue batter, again folding in gently with a rubber spatula.

Pour the batter into the cake pans evenly. Smooth the top. Bang the pans on the countertop a bit so that any large air bubbles escape. Place in the oven and bake for 20 minutes or until a knife inserted in the center comes out clean. Cool completely.

For the frosting:
1/2 cup (1 stick) butter, at room temperature
1 cup (1-8 oz bar) cream cheese
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
2 tablespoons cream
2 cups powdered sugar, sifted

In the bowl of a stand mixer with the paddle attachment or with a handheld mixer, beat the butter and cream cheese until combined well. Add the vanilla and mix. Add the powdered sugar and cream, beating until fluffy. If you want the frosting softer, add a bit more cream. If you want the frosting thicker, add more powdered sugar.

For assembly:
1 pint fresh strawberries

Thinly slice a handful of strawberries. Place a cake layer on a large plate or cake stand. Place an even layer of strawberry slices on top of the first layer. Don't worry about it looking perfect; it will be hidden inside the cake!  Put a layer of frosting over the sliced strawberries. Top with the next cake layer and repeat with more strawberry slices, then frosting. Frost the sides of the cake. Decorate the cake as desired with the rest of the strawberries.

Enjoy!

Potato Cheese Soup

This is a hearty, rustic meal. We like to make this for lunch on a chilly day. I don't peel my potatoes as that's where most of the vitamins are! Feel free to peel your potatoes before chopping, if you'd like.

Makes 6 bowls

2 tablespoons butter
1 onion, chopped
1 carrot, chopped
2 stalks celery, chopped
5 medium Russet potatoes, chopped
1/2 teaspoon dried dill
1/2 teaspoon dried thyme
1 bay leaf
1/2 cup half and half
8 oz cheddar cheese, shredded
1 teaspoon sea salt
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
2 Scallions, sliced, for serving
Sour cream, for serving

In a heavy bottomed pot, melt the butter over medium heat.  Add the onions, carrots, celery, dill, thyme, bay leaf, sea salt and pepper.  Sauté, stirring occasionally, for about 5 minutes or so. Add the potatoes and enough water to cover the potatoes by about 1/2 inch. Turn the heat up some, and simmer until the potatoes are fork tender.  Remove from the heat.

Purée the soup, in batches if needed, in a high-speed blender. Return the puréed soup to the pot, but leave the heat off. Add the half and half and stir well. Whisk in the cheddar cheese.  Taste and add more sea salt or pepper if needed. Ladle into bowls.  Top each bowl with a dollop of sour cream and scallions.  Serve immediately.

Enjoy!

Taya's House Eggplant Parmesan

This meal is home to me. It was my favorite dinner to make and eat growing up.  I used to make this with loads of cheese and used a big spoon to scoop the ooey gooey mess onto a plate. It was divine!  I have since toned down the amount of cheese, without sacrificing any taste.

This dish takes about 2 hours to put together plus almost another hour to cook, so be sure to grab a glass of wine while you're making it!

Serves 6-8

For the eggplant:
2 medium eggplants
1 1/4 cups unbleached A/P flour
1 teaspoon dried oregano
1 teaspoon dried basil
1 teaspoon onion powder
1 teaspoon garlic powder
1 1/2 teaspoons sea salt
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
4 eggs
Olive oil for frying

Slice the eggplants into 1/8-1/4" rounds.  In one bowl, beat the eggs. Set aside.  In another bowl, combine the flour and all spices.

Heat a sauté pan or griddle over medium heat.  Add a good amount of olive oil. The eggplant will soak a lot of it up. Take a slice of eggplant, dip it into the flour mixture and shake off any excess. Now dip it into the eggs, and then back into the flour mixture.  Place it on the hot pan. Fry on both sides until golden brown and soft. Continue with all of the eggplant slices. As they are done cooking, place them on a paper towel lined plate, continue stacking the eggplant with paper towels as needed. Set aside when they are all cooked.

For the sauce:
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 onion, chopped
1 red bell pepper, diced
3 cloves garlic, minced
1 bay leaf
1 teaspoon dried oregano
1 teaspoon dried thyme
1/2 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes, or to taste
1-1 1/2 teaspoons sea salt, to taste
4 cups fresh or canned crushed tomatoes

Heat a sauce pan over medium heat. Add the olive oil. Add the onions and bell peppers and sauté stirring occasionally for a few minutes. Add all of the spices and the garlic. Sauté again a few more minutes, stirring occasionally. Stir in the tomatoes and turn the heat down to low to simmer the sauce for about 15-20 minutes.

For assembly:
2 cups smoked provolone or mozzarella, shredded
1/2 cup freshly grated Parmesan

In a large baking dish (9 x 13) or casserole, place a layer of 1/3 of the eggplant, then 1/3 of the sauce, and then 1/4 of the smoked provolone or mozzarella cheese. Repeat two more times, finishing the top with the remaining cheeses.  If the 1/3 layers are not appropriate for your casserole dish, just layer as evenly as possible. This bakes together and will taste wonderful no matter what.

Bake at 350 degrees for 45 minutes or until the cheese is golden brown and has formed a nice top crust. Allow to cool for 15 minutes before serving. This is even better re-heated the next day!

Enjoy!

Tuna Noodle Casserole

I first made this as a joke. We don't usually eat packaged or processed foods, so my kids had never heard of this. My husband, however, grew up on packages of tuna "helpers". The kids said they wanted to try it, so I made this homemade version. It became an instant hit and now it is requested often. This dish is easy and versatile.  You can use brown rice pasta or regular pasta, and substitute the half and half for plain almond milk with no problem.

Serves 6-8

3 tablespoons butter
1 medium onion, chopped
2 stalks celery, diced
2 carrots, diced
1 bay leaf
1 tablespoon dried dill
1/2 teaspoon dried thyme
1/2 teaspoon dried oregano
1/2 teaspoon onion powder
1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
1 teaspoon sea salt
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
3 tablespoons unbleached A/P flour
3-5 oz cans solid Albacore tuna packed in water (do NOT drain)
2 cups half and half
1 cup frozen peas
1 lb package pasta, bowties or fusilli, cooked and drained according to the package instructions

In a heavy bottomed sauté pan, melt the butter over medium heat. Add the onions, carrots, and celery. Sauté a few minutes, stirring often. Add the spices and sea salt and pepper.  Sauté another 5 minutes stirring occasionally.  Add the flour and stir well. Cook for 1 minute. Add the tuna and its juice.  Stir in the half and half. Continue stirring constantly until the sauce is thickened a bit.  Turn off the heat. Add the cooked pasta and frozen peas.  Taste and add more sea salt and pepper, if needed. At this point, you can serve as is, or pour into a buttered casserole dish and bake in a preheated 350 degree oven for about 15 minutes - just until there is a golden brown crust.

Enjoy!