Robin's Recipes

Over 200 recipes, including breakfast, dinner, and, of course, dessert!

[robins-recipes]

Italian Creme Cake

What you’ll need:

1/2 a white cake mix

8 inch round cake pan

2 eggs

2 Tbsp. vegetable oil

2 ounces flaked coconut

2/3 cup toasted pecans

2/3 cup buttermilk

Instructions:

Mix it up and spread into a greased and floured pan.

Bake at 350 degrees for 20 minutes.

Place the cake on a rack and brush it with a 1/4 cup of rum.

When cool, frost with cream cheese frosting mixed with 1/2 cup toasted pecans and 1/2 cup flaked coconut. I used canned cream cheese frosting (easy shortcut).

Very good!

[robins-recipes]

Pannu Kakku (Finnish Pancake)

An old Finnish recipe for a giant pancake-like dessert.

Ingredients:

1 cup milk

2 eggs

1/4 cup sugar

1/4 tsp. salt

1/2 tsp. vanilla

1/2 tsp. lemon extract

zest of one lemon

1/2 cup flour

2 tbsp. melted butter

Instructions:

Heat oven to 400 degrees.

Melt the 2 tbsp. butter in an 8 x 8 baking dish.

Whisk the rest of ingredients together and pour over the melted butter.

Bake for approximately 20 to 30 minutes. Just watch for the edges to start browning and the center to puff up. Do not be alarmed during the cooking process, as it will look like a growing science experiment while baking.

Sprinkle with powdered sugar, and serve warm or cold, with fruit, or jam, or just plain. We ate it plain, it was so good.

[robins-recipes]

Gluten Free Veggie Lasagna

This was delicious. No gluten, and no meat.

Ingredients:

2 medium zucchini

1 large tomato, cut into slices

1 cup chopped spinach

1 cup cooked quinoa

1/4 cup diced red bell pepper

1 cup shredded mozzarella

2 eggs

1/2 cup skim milk

Spices: salt & pepper, garlic powder, oregano

Preheat oven to 375, and grease a loaf pan.

Slice the zucchini lengthwise, into 1/4 inch slices, and saute till tender.

Cook quinoa according to package directions, Then add spinach, red pepper, and 1 tsp. garlic powder, 1 tsp. oregano, and a dash of salt & pepper.

Place half of zucchini slices in bottom of loaf pan. Top with 1/4 cup cheese. Spoon on the quinoa mixture. Add another 1/4 cup cheese.  Layer on tomato slices, top with the rest of the zucchini, and cover with remaining 1/2 cup of mozzarella cheese.

In a small bowl, beat the two eggs and add milk. Pour this mixture over the top.

Bake for approximately one half hour, or until the top starts to turn golden.

Remove from oven, and let rest for 15 minutes. Serve with a salad, and enjoy a meatless, and gluten free meal.

[robins-recipes]

Oatmeal Butterscotch Bars

These oatmeal butterscotch cookie bars are super rich and yummy! Pair with a glass of milk for the perfect combo.

Makes about 12 squares.

What you’ll need:

1/2 cup butter (1 stick), softened

1/2 cup sugar

3/4 cup brown sugar

1 teaspoon vanilla

1 egg

1 1/4 cups flour

1/2 teaspoon baking soda

1/4 teaspoon salt

3/4 cup oats

1 cup butterscotch chips

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Grease an 8×8 or 9×9 pan with cooking spray or use parchment paper.

2. In a large mixing bowl, add white and brown sugar to the softened butter and mix.

Next, mix in the egg and vanilla extract.

Then, mix in the flour, baking soda, and salt.

Finally, put in the oats and butterscotch chips and combine.

3. Spread dough evenly in the prepared pan.

4. Bake for 25-30 minutes. I took mine out when an inserted toothpick came out clean.

Let cool and then cut into squares.

Enjoy!

[robins-recipes]

White Chocolate Cranberry Almond Cookies

Here’s a recipe for cookies with white chocolate chips, dried cranberries, and sliced almonds.

Makes about 2 dozen

What you’ll need:

1/2 cup butter (1 stick), softened

1/2 cup sugar

1/2 cup brown sugar

1 tablespoon vanilla

1 egg

1 1/2 cups flour

1/2 teaspoon baking soda

1/2 cup white chocolate chips

1 cup dried cranberries

1/2 cup sliced almonds

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

2. In a large mixing bowl, cream the butter with the white and brown sugar. Next, beat in the egg and vanilla. Then combine the flour and baking soda and mix it into the sugar/egg mixture. Lastly, add the white chocolate chips, dried cranberries, and sliced almonds and fold in.

3. Spoon balls of the cookie dough onto a greased cookie sheet (I used cooking spray).

4. Bake for about 10 minutes, but keep an eye on them because you’ll want to take them out just a tad earlier than you would think. They might still look undercooked, but once you take them out of the oven you’ll let them sit on the cookie sheet for a minute or two and then put them on a cooling rack.

Aren’t they pretty?

[robins-recipes]

Two Bean Salad

My garden still has some magic left in it. I made a delicious salad today with the Green and waxed beans, heirloom tomatoes, and Green onions I picked this morning.

I simmered the beans until they were soft, and then threw them into ice water.

One can Garbanzo beans, rinsed and drained

2 cups Green and/or waxed beans, cooked till tender

2 cups cherry tomatoes, halved

2 -4 green onions, chopped

Throw it all into a bowl, and mix up some easy dressing…

Make as much as you want, just remember:

Three parts olive oil to 1 part vinegar, a splash of lemon juice, and sugar to taste.

A little salt & pepper, and that’s it.

Let it refrigerate for a few hours, serve, and enjoy.

[robins-recipes]

Quinoa & Veggie Pie

I came up with an idea, and tried it out today. It was a hit!

Cook some quinoa:

3/4 cup Quinoa and 1 & 1/2 cups water. Bring to boil, shut off flame, let sit 5 minutes.

Roast some veggies:

I used cauliflower, zucchini, and onions. Spread out on a baking sheet, drizzle some olive oil, and bake at 400 degrees until veggies are starting to brown. Cook more than you think you need, because they shrink down in size.

Now put it together:

Mix the cooked Quinoa with

1/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese

1/4 cup ground almonds

1 egg

salt & pepper, a dash of garlic powder, and a dash of parsley

Spread into a greased pie plate.

Top with your roasted veggies (about 2 cups), and add some sliced Roma tomatoes.

Sprinkle on some Mozzarella, or Provolone, and a little more Parmesan.

I also added a little chopped green onion on top. Drizzle with olive oil, and bake at 350 degrees for 30 minutes.

A very satisfying meatless dinner. I served it with some cucumber slices and ranch dressing.

[robins-recipes]

Fresh Corn Quiche

Tonight, I grilled some chicken, made a salad, and whipped up a Corn Quiche with fresh corn on the cob I got from the market. This is a delicious side dish with any main course.

Ingredients:

1 ready-made pie crust

2 eggs

1 cup half-n-half (or whole milk)

1/4 cup finely minced onion

2 Tbsp. melted butter

1 Tbsp. flour

1 Tbsp. sugar

1 tsp.salt

1 tsp. pepper

2 cups (about 3 ears) fresh corn kernels

Preheat oven to 375 degrees.

Use an 8 inch pie plate. Prepare crust in plate (do not pre-bake).

Whisk together all ingredients, and pour into pie shell.

Bake for 30 to 40 minutes, or until the crust is golden and an inserted knife comes out clean.

I sprinkled a little Paprika on top for color…

It’s not heavy at all, it’s light and fresh, a perfect getaway from plain old corn.

[robins-recipes]

Chicken Potstickers

A while back I said I would post the exact recipe for potstickers, and here it is…

First the very easy sauce…

2 tbsp. sugar

2 tbsp. soy sauce

2 tbsp. vinegar

2 tbsp. water

1 tsp. oil

1/2 tsp. red pepper flake

Combine all in a saucepan and simmer until sugar dissolves. I think I ended up quadrupling the recipe here, cause we love our sauce!

Now for the potsticker filling…

1/2 pound ground chicken (or pork, whichever you prefer)

2 cups finely shredded cabbage

2 chopped scallions

1 egg

1/4 cup finely chopped red bell pepper

1/4 cup finely chopped celery

1 tsp. ground ginger

1 tbsp. parsley

1 tsp. each salt & pepper

Combine all ingredients well.

You can find these little wonton wrappers at any grocery store. Place a teaspoon of mixture on each wrapper…

Wet the edges with water, and fold them like a little pillow.

Heat a large skillet, with 1/2 cup of oil, to medium-high. Fry a dozen or so at a time, lightly browning on each side…

Then transfer to a covered deep skillet, with a little chicken stock in the bottom. Put it on the lowest heat.

Keep frying and adding wontons to the pot, and they will steam cook the rest of the way.

Keep the lid on!

Let them steam for a half hour or so, to cook through.

Serve with sauce, and enjoy!

[robins-recipes]

Pineapple Orange Pound Cake

I think that I have talked about this before…that I have become the queen of 1/2 cake mixes. My family is small, and we don’t eat whole cakes. So, I have devised ways to use 1/2 the cake mix and save the rest for another day. This recipe comes from the remainder of the Pineapple cake mix that I used for my daughter’s birthday, Pineapple Upside Down Cake.

This was an experiment that turned out AS GOOD as my famous Vanilla Loaf Cake…

1/2 of a Pineapple cake mix

2 eggs

1/2 cup orange juice

1/4 cup vegetable oil

1 tbsp. orange zest

1 vanilla pudding cup (snack pack variety, or 1/2 cup vanilla yogurt, or 1/2 cup sour cream, or 1/2 cup whole milk, or 1/2 cup applesauce) obviously, you are just looking for moistness.

Mix all ingredients together, Bake in a greased and powder sugared loaf pan. 350 degrees, for about 30 minutes (do the toothpick test).

Remove the loaf immediately to a wire rack and mix up the glaze…

1 cup powdered sugar and enough orange juice, to make a pouring consistency.

Glaze the cooled loaf and “oh my gosh”. YUM.

[robins-recipes]

Chocolate & Peanut Butter Poke Cake

My family is small, and we really don’t ever finish whole cakes, so when I make cakes or cupcakes, it is always with 1/2 a cake mix. It’s easy to halve the box, wrap well, and save the rest for another time. So… this recipe utilizes 1/2 of a store bought cake mix, in an     8 x 8 pan; you can feel free to double the recipe, using the whole cake mix, in a 9 x 13 pan.

Ingredients for cake:

1/2 box of white cake mix

2 egg whites

1/4 cup oil

1/2 cup water

1 tsp. vanilla

Ingredients for topping:

1/4 cup butter

1/4 cup water

3/4 cup peanut butter

1 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips

Mix all cake ingredients well. Pour into a greased (spray oil) 8 x 8 baking dish. Bake according to package directions.

While the cake is in the oven, mix all topping ingredients in a saucepan over low heat.

Stir until melted and smooth.

Immediately after removing the cake from the oven, use a wooden spoon to poke holes into the cake. Approximately an inch apart, and all the way through to the bottom.

Pour the heated chocolate mixture over the cake.

Smooth out the chocolate, gently pressing it to make sure it gets down into the holes.

Refrigerate for 2 hours. Serve and enjoy!

[robins-recipes]

Toasted Coconut Loaf Cake

This is an easy loaf cake for a busy day, or even a party… Dense cake with great texture and rich flavor.

What you’ll need:

1 stick softened butter

1 cup sugar

2 eggs

1 tsp. vanilla

2 cups flour

1 tsp.baking powder

1/2 tsp. baking soda

1/2 tsp.salt

1 cup whole milk

1/4 cup lemon juice

Mix all ingredients together and pour into a greased and floured loaf pan. Bake at 350 degrees for 45 minutes. Remove from pan and cool completely.

For the frosting…

you’ll need 1 can of vanilla frosting, and…

Toast 2 cups of coconut in a saute pan until browned.

Carefully slice the cake into three layers.

Frost each layer and coat with toasted coconut.

Simple, easy, and delicious. Enjoy!

[robins-recipes]

Stuffed Green Peppers

Stuffed green peppers, using ground turkey instead of beef.

Ingredients:

4 or 6 green peppers

1/2 lb. ground turkey

1 cup cooked rice

1/4 cup each of chopped green pepper, tomato, zucchini, and green onion

2 cups tomato sauce

1 tsp. each of salt, pepper, garlic powder, and parsley

Cut the tops off of the peppers and clean out the insides. Simmer in water for 5 minutes until softened. Combine the turkey, rice, veggies, and spices. Stuff each pepper and place into a baking dish. Pour 2 cups of tomato sauce over the top. Bake for one hour in a 350 oven.

Delicious!!!

[robins-recipes]

Vegetarian Stuffed Grape Leaves

Vegetarian Grape Leaves (Dolmas) are not as good as the ones made with ground lamb, and I’m not sure that I would go to the trouble of making them again, without the meat…

but here is the recipe:

16 large brined grape leaves

1 cup chopped chick peas

1 cup cooked brown rice

1/4 cup pine nuts (Pignoli’s)

zest of one lemon

1 tsp. mint leaves

1 tsp. dill weed

1 tsp. parsley

1 tsp. minced garlic

1 small tomato, seeded and chopped

1 tbsp. minced onion

salt & pepper to taste

Mix all ingredients together (except grape leaves).

Lay out the grape leaf and add a tbsp. of mixture. Roll up like a little cigar.

Simmer for one hour, in a large covered skillet, with a little olive oil and lemon juice.

[robins-recipes]

Healthier Meatloaf for Two

I love good old fashioned Meatloaf, but these days, my daughter has me looking for healthier versions of not so healthy classics. So, today I made a small Meatloaf just for the two of us, with the aim of using thoughtful ingredients…and it was good!

Serves 2

What you’ll need:

1/2 lb. ground beef (90/10 lean)

1/2 cup quick cooking oats

1 tbsp. Worcestershire sauce

1 tbsp. skim milk

1 tbsp. ketchup

1 beaten egg

1 tbsp. brown sugar

1 tbsp. minced red bell pepper

1 tsp. minced garlic

1 tsp. parsley

1/2 tsp. salt

1/2 tsp. pepper

In a medium bowl, mix together the oats, Worcestershire, milk, ketchup, and beaten egg.

Add the ground beef, red bell pepper, brown sugar, parsley, salt, pepper, and garlic, and mix well to combine.

Place the mixture into a mini loaf pan, and refrigerate for at least an hour.

When ready, bake at 375 degrees for 40 minutes. Don’t forget the old fashioned ketchup topping!

Delicious!

[robins-recipes]

Italian Salsa Salad

Light, refreshing, and a great side dish for any meal.

Serves 4

What you’ll need:

2 Roma tomatoes, diced

1/2 cup fresh corn kernels (2 ears of corn)

1 cup chopped cucumber

1/2 cup Edamame

1 tbsp. finely minced onion

1/4 cup bottled Italian Dressing

Salt & pepper to taste

Combine all ingredients and refrigerate until dinner.

I served this side salad with lentil patties and cheese quesadillas, and it was a hit.

[robins-recipes]

Butternut Squash Side Dish

I love Butternut Squash, unfortunately, no one else in my house does. Here is a recipe that might just sneak it in, without too many complaints…

It’s a stuffing, it’s a casserole, it’s just a delicious, buttery flavor and smooth texture paired with savory and slightly crunchy bread in every bite.

To prepare the Butternut Squash:

Peel off the rind, clean out the pulp and seeds, and chop into large chunks.

Boil in salted water for 20 minutes, or until fork tender. Drain.

Puree, or use a potato masher to make a smooth consistency.

What you’ll need:

2 & 1/2 cups seasoned croutons

2 cups squash puree

2 eggs

1 cup milk

2 tbsp. brown sugar

1 tsp. salt

1/2 tsp. pepper

*Croutons (Homemade Croutons recipe)

Use any medium size casserole dish on hand… Grease the dish and add the croutons.

In a mixing bowl, combine squash puree, eggs, milk, brown sugar, salt, and pepper. Pour over the croutons.

Bake at 350 degrees, for 30 minutes, or until the edges start to brown.

I served it alongside spicy crusted chicken. Delicious. It has a slightly sweet and savory element that went great with the chicken… Enjoy!