Budget Travel

Cucumber Vinegar Salad

2 English cucumbers, thinly sliced
1/2 tablespoon salt
1/2 cup apple cider vinegar
1/4 cup water
2 tablespoon granulated sugar
1/2 teaspoon fresh chopped dill
1/2 red onion, thinly sliced

Place cucumbers in serving dish. Sprinkle with salt. Cover and refrigerate for 2 hours. Pour off the liquid (do not rinse).

Meanwhile, combine vinegar, water, sugar and dill in a small saucepan. Warm over medium heat just until sugar is dissolved. Add onion to cucumbers. Pour vinegar mixture over cucumbers and onion. Toss to combine. Refrigerate over night.

Serve and enjoy!

DONNA'S NOTES: I like to peel one cucumber for different textures.

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Chicken Parmesan Meatballs

MAKES 48 Poppers |ACTIVE TIME 15 Min | TOTAL TIME 30 Min

1 pound ground chicken breast
3/4 cup Italian breadcrumbs
1 cup fresh grated Parmesan cheese
3 garlic cloves, pressed
1/2 small onion, grated
2 tablespoons + 1 cup marinara sauce (divided)
1/2 tablespoon dried Italian seasoning
2 tablespoons fresh basil, chopped
2 tablespoons fresh parsley, chopped
1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
1/2 teaspoon fresh cracked black pepper
1 large egg, lightly beaten
1 cup shredded Italian blend shredded cheese

Preheat oven to 350°F. Prepare a baking sheet by lining with parchment paper.

Set aside 1 cup marinara and shredded Italian cheese.

In a large mixing bowl, combine all remaining ingredients. Mix well, do not over mix or you will have tough meatballs. Using a 1 tablespoon scoop, portion out meat mixture and place on baking sheet. After all meatballs have been scooped onto tray, roll into balls. TIP: If you lightly wet your hands the meatballs will form better and crack less. Bake for 16-18 minutes until lightly browned.

Turn oven to broil.

Drizzle a spoonful of marinara over each meatball. Sprinkle with shredded cheese.

Broil for 2-3 minutes until cheese is golden brown and bubbly.

Serve and enjoy!

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Mexican Hot Chocolate Brownies

SERVES 16 | ACTIVE TIME 5 Min | TOTAL TIME 25 Min

1/2 cup unsalted butter
1 cup granulated sugar
1/2 cup unsweetened cocoa powder, plus more for dusting
1/2 tablespoon vanilla extract
2 large eggs
1/2 cup all purpose flour
1 teaspoon cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper
1/4 teaspoon baking powder
1/4 teaspoon salt

Browned Butter Frosting
4 tablespoons unsalted butter
1 cup powdered sugar
2 tablspoons International Delight French Vanilla Creamer
pinch salt

Preheat oven to 350°F. Butter and dust an 8x8 baking pan with cocoa powder, set aside.
Place butter in a large microwave safe mixing bowl, melt completely. Add sugar, cocoa, vanilla and eggs. Whisk to combine well. Add remaining ingredients. Whisk until completely combined, but do not over mix.

Pour into prepared baking dish. Bake for 20 minutes or until a tooth pick comes out clean. Allow to cool completely before frosting.

Meanwhile: Heat butter in a small saucepan over medium-high heat, whisking constantly until golden brown, about 3-5 minutes. Add sugar, creamer and salt. Whisk until completely combined and smooth. Pour over the cooled brownies.

Serve and enjoy!

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Cheesy Italian Stuffed Peppers

SERVES 8 | ACTIVE TIME 30 Min | TOTAL TIME 30 Min

16 ounces bulk hot Italian sausage
1 (14.5-ounce) can fire roasted diced tomatoes with garlic
2 ounces shredded Parmesan cheese
8 ounces dried orzo pasta
2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil, divided
2 cups reduced sodium chicken stock
4 ounces shredded mozzarella cheese
8 bell peppers (red, orange, yellow and green)
1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
8 basil leaves, chopped (optional garnish)

Preheat oven to 450°F.

Warm 1 tablespoon of oil in a medium (10-inch) skillet over medium heat, approximately 2 minutes. Add orzo, stir to coat. Cook until orzo is golden brown, stirring occasionally. Add chicken stock and bring to a boil, cook for about 7-10 minutes until liquid is absorbed, stirring occasionally.

Meanwhile, wash peppers. Cut the tops off and remove seeds and veins. Pat peppers dry with a paper towel. Place peppers (lids and bottoms) in a microwave safe bowl and toss with 1 tablespoon oil and kosher salt. Cover bowl with plastic wrap or microwave safe lid. Microwave until peppers are soft (about 10 minutes). Remove peppers from bowl and place in a 9”x9” baking dish.

In the mean time, heat a medium skillet over medium high heat. Add sausage to skillet and cook until browned.

In the orzo pan; combine sausage, tomatoes, mozzarella and cheeses. Stir to combine. Stuff mixture into peppers, using a spoon. Set tops aside.

Bake for 7-10 minutes, until top is lightly browned. Place tops on peppers and serve.

Enjoy!

Recipe developed by Donna Elick - The Slow Roasted Italian
Copyright ©2013 The Slow Roasted Italian – All rights reserved.

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No-Bake Cap'n Crunch Avalanche Cookies

SERVES 24 | ACTIVE TIME 15 Min | TOTAL TIME 30 Min

1/2 cup mini chocolate chips
16 ounces (about 2-1/2 cups) white chocolate chips
16 ounces (about 1-3/4 cups) honey roasted chunky peanut butter
3 cups Cap'n Crunch cereal
1 1/2 cups mini marshmallows

Prepare 2 baking sheets with silicone mats or parchment paper. Set aside.

Place mini chocolate chips in the freezer, until ready to use.

Melt white chocolate chips in a large heat safe bowl, microwave 30 seconds at a time until melted and smooth, stirring between each interval.

Add peanut butter to the melted white chocolate chips. Stir until well mixed.

Add cereal to peanut butter mixture and fold in. Allow mixture to cool to room temperature (or until barely warm), if necessary. Mine was room temperature and didn't need to cool.

Fold in marshmallows and frozen chocolate chips, the chocolate chips will melt slightly and create delicious streaks of chocolate throughout your cookies. Don't overmix or the chocolate chips will complete dissolve.

Use a 2 tablespoon scoop to portion treats onto the prepared cookie sheets. Lightly press down on the top of each cookie with the back of the scoop to spread the cookie out.

Refrigerate until firm, about 15 mintues. Keep refrigerated for best results.

Serve and enjoy!

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Peach Cobbler Cheesecake Salad

SERVES 16 | ACTIVE TIME 15 Min | TOTAL TIME 30 Min

Topping
1/2 cup packed light brown sugar

4 tablespoons unsalted butter, cut into pieces
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 teaspoon cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
1/8 teaspoon nutmeg
1 package graham crackers, crumbled into little pieces (9 sheets)
2 teaspoons granulated sugar

Cheesecake Salad
1 (8-ounce) package cream cheese, softened
1 (3.4-ounce) package instant cheesecake flavored pudding, unprepared
1 cup International Delight French Vanilla Creamer (liquid)
4 pounds peaches (about 8), cut into bite-size pieces

Preheat oven to 350°F. Prepare a baking sheet with parchment paper or a silicone liner.

In a medium size microwave safe bowl combine brown sugar, butter, vanilla extract, cinnamon, salt and nutmeg. Stir to combine. Microwave 30 seconds at a time until the mixture is bubbly and the sugar is melted. Add the crumbled graham crackers and stir until the graham cracker pieces are coated well.

Pour mixture onto the prepared baking sheet and sprinkle with granulated sugar, this will give it a real crisp coating. Bake until golden brown, about 10-12 minutes. Allow to cool.

Meanwhile: In a medium tall bowl (I use my 8 cup measuring cup), using an electric mixer, whip cream cheese until it becomes smooth. It may bind up in the beaters, but continue as is and it will loosen up. Add the dry pudding mix. Beat until well combined.

With the mixer on low, slowly add the creamer to the cream cheese mix. Add it about a tablespoon at a time and then mix until it becomes a smooth mixture and all of the creamer has combined into the cream cheese, repeat until all of the creamer has been added to the mixture. Whip until smooth.

Fold the peaches into the cheesecake mixture. Chill until ready to serve or serve immediately. Finish your dessert by stirring in and sprinkling with the topping before serving. The topping will soften in the cheesecake filling, the longer it is in the filling the softer it becomes. Use your best judgement. I liked the pieces crunchy and my daughter liked them soft.

DONNA'S NOTES: Do not pour all of the creamer into the cream cheese at once. It will get clumpy and no matter how long you beat it, it will stay that way. Trust me on this one.

To make this ahead: prepare the cheesecake mixture and refrigerate in a bowl. Prep the peaches and refrigerate. Before serving, drain any excess liquid from the fruit and then fold the cheesecake filling into the fruit. Serve and enjoy!

Recipe developed by Donna Elick - The Slow Roasted Italian
Copyright ©2017 The Slow Roasted Italian – All rights reserved.

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Tiramisu Ice Cream Cake

SERVES 16 | ACTIVE TIME 15 Min | TOTAL TIME 3 Hours 15 Min

6 ounces water
1 teaspoon Medaglia D’Oro Espresso Instant Coffee
lady finger cookies (about 24-28 cookies)
1 1/2 quarts good vanilla bean ice cream
2 tablespoons heavy cream
1 teaspoon light corn syrup
1/4 cup semisweet chocolate chips
2 tablespoons chopped hazelnuts or sliced almonds

Add the ice cream to the bowls of a stand mixer and beat it until it is soft and spreadable, about 3 minutes. Or you can allow your ice cream to sit at room temperature for 15-20 minutes until softened.

Double line a 9"x5" baking pan with plastic wrap, leaving enough hanging out the sides to wrap over the top.

Combine espresso powder and water in a microwave safe measuring cup. Heat for 1-2 minutes until it is warmed. Reserve 1/2 tablespoon espresso to use in the ganache. Pour the remaining espresso into a shallow bowl.

Scoop about 1/3 of the soft ice cream into the bottom of the pan. Use a spatula to smooth it into an even layer. Be careful the plastic wrap will move around a little.

Dip the lady fingers into the espresso mixture one at a time and then quickly flip to soak both sides. Only keep it in the liquid for a second or so. Line the bottom of the baking pan with a row dipped lady fingers, about 8.

Top with about 1/3 of the remaining softened ice cream, smooth into an even layer. Repeat the lady finger layer of cookies and ice cream again and then top with 1 final layer of lady fingers. Gently wiggle the top layer of cookies into the ice cream and cover with the excess plastic wrap. Place the cake in the freezer for 3 hours-overnight.

Meanwhile; prepare the ganache topping by heating the cream, remaining 1/2 tablespoons espresso and corn syrup in a small microwave safe bowl or measuring cup until steaming. Be careful, as the cream may bubble over if it boils. Add the chocolate chips and whisk until the chocolate is smooth. Place in the refrigerator for 15 minutes to allow it to cool.

Remove the cake from the freezer and invert it onto a serving tray. Use the excess plastic wrap to help lift it out of the pan. If it will not come out easily. Allow it to rest on the counter for a minute until it comes out easily. Remove the plastic wrap. Transfer the ganache to a quart size bag or piping bag. Drizzle the ganache over the cake making sure to leave space between the drizzle lines so the ganache will firm up. Quickly top with nuts before the ganache sets. Freeze until ganache is set or you are ready to eat. Enjoy!

DONNA'S NOTES: If you do not run the ice cream in the stand mixer be sure to stir it up really well after it has softened or you will end up with big scoops of firmer ice cream and lots of melted ice cream which will make it harder to smooth it out.

To easily cut the frozen cake, run a chefs knife under hot water and wipe it dry with a towel. Use the warm knife to easily slice through the cake.

Recipe developed by Donna Elick - The Slow Roasted Italian
Copyright ©2017 The Slow Roasted Italian – All rights reserved.

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