Lemon, Ricotta & Almond Cake

Lemon, Ricotta & Almond Cake

A dense but light cake, slightly similar to a cheesecake.

1/2 cup softened butter

1 1/3 cup superfine sugar (whirl sugar in a blender to super fine it)

2 tsp. vanilla

1/4 cup lemon zest (about 5 lemons)

4 eggs at room temperature, separated

2 1/2 cups almond meal

10 1/2 oz. ricotta

sliced almonds and powdered sugar to decorate top of cake

Heat oven to 325 F.  Line the base and side of a 9" round cake tin with baking paper and set aside.

Place the first 4 ingredients in a bowl and beat with an electric mixer several minutes until pale and creamy.  Scrap down side of bowl, then gradually add the egg yolks, one at a time, continuing to beat until fully combineed.  Add the almond meal and beat to combine.  Fold in ricotta cheese.

In a clean bowl beat the egg whites until soft peaks form.  Gradually add the remaining sugar to the egg whites mixture and whisk until stiff peaks form.  Gently fold a third of the egg whites into the cake mixture.  Repeat with the rest of the egg whites.

Pour the mixture into the prepared cake tin, smooth the top with a palette knife, decorate the cake with the almond slices and bake for 40-45 minutes or until cooked and firm to touch.  Allow to cool completely in the cake tin.  Dust with icing sugar to serve.

Rumaki

I'd forgotten how much I loved rumaki until I was served them at a party last week.  As a newlywed, this was my go-to hors d'oeurve--my specialty!  We gobbled these up like they were potato chips.  

Wrap a whole canned water chestnut with a half slice good quality bacon.  Secure with toothpick.  Bake in hot oven (400 F.) for about 15 minutes or until nicely browned, turning halfway through cooking.  Great variations are adding quartered dates, small pieces of chicken liver, and/or cubed Parmesan cheese to the water chestnut and bacon.  Serve with dipping sauce.

Dipping Sauce:  Mix 3 tablespoons jam or jelly with 3 tablespoons prepared mustard, heat slightly. 

Curried Cashews

This is from the Knitionary post, America's Cup, bay view party. 

Knitionary

Stuffed Bell Peppers

Mom's Stuffed Bell Peppers

These are economical when peppers are plentiful.

My son asked for the recipe, so here it is.

2# extra lean ground turkey

1# lean ground pork sausage

2 cups cooked rice

1/2 bunch Italian parsley, minced

1 medium onion, chopped fine

1 14 oz. can chopped tomatoes

1 1.5 oz. packet of Meat Loaf seasoning mix
1/2 tsp. salt
1/4 tsp. pepper

5 to 6 bell peppers, halved and seeded.  I prefer red, but green, yellow or orange will do just as well.
2 cups tomato sauce
olive oil

Mix first 7 ingredients by hand in a large bowl. Stuff each pepper half with meat mixture and mound it high.  Put tomato sauce on bottom of large roaster and place stuffed peppers on top.  Pour a little bit of olive oil over the peppers and cover lightly with foil.  Bake at 400 F for 1 hour or until done, removing foil for last 15 minutes or so.  Serve with sauce.  10 to 12 servings.  These freeze well cooked or uncooked.

I consider this a family dish and never serve it for company, but don't know why on earth I don't.  It may not be elegant, but it is delicious.  Who doesn't like stuffed bell peppers?  This may be my number one requested dish for family get togethers and always makes my husband happy.