Queijadinha

This simple recipe comes from a great website with Brazilian recipes called Maria-Brazil: http://www.maria-brazil.org/brazilian_recipes.htm

1 cup grated coconut
1 can sweetened condensed milk
2 Tbsp of sugar
2 Tbsp freshly grated Parmesan cheese
2 egg yolks

Mix all ingredients together and pour into greased mini-muffin tins. Bake in 350° F until golden brown on top (about 15 minutes). Let cool a little and remove. Place in pretty paper cups.

Banana Cake with Coconut-Cream Cheese Frosting

For the cake:
1 stick (4 oz.) unsalted butter, at room temperature
1 ½ cups unbleached all-purpose flour
1 ½ tsp baking powder
½ tsp baking soda
½ tsp salt
¾ cup packed light brown sugar
1 large egg
¾ cup puréed very ripe bananas (I used 2 medium and just mashed them thoroughly)
¼ cup sour cream
½ tsp pure vanilla extract

For the frosting:
3 oz cream cheese, at room temperature ( I used reduced-fat)
3 Tbs unsalted butter, at room temperature
1/3 cup confectioners sugar
3 Tbs well-stirred canned cream of coconut (not coconut milk)
1 tsp dark rum (I omitted this)
1/3 cup sweetened flaked coconut

Place a rack in the middle of the oven, and preheat the oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit. Lightly butter or spray a 9-inch round cake pan and dust it with flour, shaking out any excess (I also lined the bottom with parchment paper).

In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt.

In the bowl of stand mixer, or in a large mixing bowl, beat the butter and brown sugar on high speed until pale and fluffy, stopping to scrape down the sides of the bowl with a rubber spatula as necessary. Add the egg, and beat until well combined. Add the banana purée, sour cream, and vanilla, and beat to combine well. Reduce the speed to low, and add the flour mixture, mixing until just combined. Do not overmix.

Spread the batter in the prepared cake pan, and bake until the top is pale golden and a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean, about 20-27 minutes (mine took 30-40 minutes and was very golden brown).

Cool the cake in the pan on a rack for 10 minutes. Run a thin knife around the edge of the pan; then invert the rack over the cake and invert the cake onto the rack to cool completely.

While the cake cools, make the frosting. In a medium bowl, beat together the cream cheese and the butter on medium speed until smooth. Reduce the speed to low; then add the confectioners sugar, cream of coconut, and rum. Mix until combined; then increase the speed to high and beat until light and fluffy, about two minutes.

Spread over the top of the thoroughly cooled cake, and sprinkle evenly with coconut.

Yield: About 8 servings

This recipe came from a food blog, Orangette, which was adapted from a Gourmet magazine recipe.

Tori's Orange Basil Vinaigrette

1 clove minced garlic
3 tbsp minced basil (fresh)
Juice from one orange
1/4 cup red wine vinegar
Salt and pepper to taste
1/4 teaspoon cumin
3 tbsp vegetable oil (olive, canola, whatever you want)

1. Mince garlic and basil and put in a bowl
2. Squeeze the juice from one orange into the bowl
3. Add the red wine vinegar, salt and pepper and cumin
4. Drizzle the oil into the mixture while whisking unitl incorporated

Leave the oil out of the recipe for an even healthier option.
This makes enough for a salad that feeds 6-8 people.

Banana Cake

Can whoever brought the banana cake with the cream cheese/coconut frosting yesterday please post the recipe? It was great!

Ginny Sterling

Overnight Blueberry French Toast

12 slices day-old bread, cut into 1 inch cubes
2 (8oz.) pkg. cream cheese, cut into 1 inch cubes (you can also freeze for a few min. and grate.)
(I used 1 pkg. of 1/3 reduced fat cream cheese).
1 cup fresh blueberries ( I used frozen and doubled the amt.)
10 eggs, beaten
2 cups milk
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/3 cup maple syrup

Syrup:
1 cup white sugar
1 cup water
1 cup fresh blueberries ( I doubled this and used frozen berries)
1 Tablespoon butter
2 tablespoons cornstarch

Directions:

1. Lightly grease 9 x 13 baking dish. Arrange half the bread cubes in the dish, top with cream cheese. Sprinkle 1 cup blueberries over the cream cheese and top with remaining bread crumbs.

2. In a large bowl, mix eggs, milk, vanilla and maple syrup. Pour over the bread cubes. Cover and refrigerate overnight.

3. Remove from refrigerator and let stand 30 minutes. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

4. Cover, and bake 30 minutes. Uncover, and continue baking 25 - 30 minutes until center is firm and surface is lightly browned.

5. Make syrup by combining sugar, cornstarch and water in a medium saucepan. Bring to a boil and stir constantly 3-4 minutes. Mix in the remaining blueberries. Reduce heat and simmer 10 minutes until berries burst. Stir in the butter and pour over the French Toast.

Syrup can be made the night before as well and refrigerated. Just add a little water and stir to thin the consistency while re-heating.

Works well with any berries.

Recipe originally came from www.allrecipes.com

Enjoy!

Recipe Posting Plan

Here's the BLOG for our great Department recipes that we enjoy together over the years. There have been many and now when we find a good one let's post it here for all to access as needed. Today is Library Worker's Day so it's a wonderful day to start. Thanks to Kim Farley for the idea!