I have been wanting to try this for a while, so today I had a guest that stays with us often and I asked her if she would not mind being a Guinee pig for a new recipe. She graciously said of coarse, so today I bring you three of many of my favorite ingredients. I used most store bought ingredients for this recipe, however you could make your own as well. I always find it gratifying when I can look in the pantry and throw something together quickly if I need to. This is one of those recipes.

Strawberry Cheesecake Pancakes- Serves 3

  Pancake mix ( I used 2 cups of mix with 1 1/4 C water),  8″ frozen cheesecake(use half) and  strawberry jam, whipped Cream (optional)

Preheat your frying pan and butter or spray so your pancakes don’t stick.

Mix up your pancake mix about 15 minutes ahead of time if you can. Pancakes always turn out better when you can let the batter sit for awhile. Cut half of the frozen cheesecake into bite size pieces and stir into the pancake batter just before you add to the frying pan.

Fry your pancakes as you normally would. As your pancakes are cooking, put your jar of strawberry jam in the microwave and heat 30- 60 seconds and bubbly and sticky.

Pull your pancakes off the frying pan when done, pat them with butter and pour the strawberry jam between the layers of pancakes. Top with Whipped Cream if you desire.

I make a lot of fresh salsa in the summer and serve it with a few of our breakfast entrees (breakfast burrito- recipe July 1) and sometimes during our wine and cheese socials on  the weekends. It seemed I was keeping up with the tomato supply until recently we had an abundance. This week I made some  freezer tomato sauce (which only made one jar) and some canned salsa. This week I am sharing with you my recipe for the fresh salsa and the canned salsa.  This way you can enjoy right away and then later this winter as well.

Canned Salsa – Makes 3-4 8oz. jars. 

1 Large Poblano pepper (stemmed, halved and seeded), 1/2 large white onion, cut into 4 wedges, 4 cloves of garlic, 2 1/4 lbs. of red and green tomatoes, 1/2 tsp. ground cumin, 1/4 C lime juice, 1 TB white vinegar, 2 tsp. sugar, dash of salt, 3 red jalapeno peppers, thinly sliced lengthwise. , chopped fresh cilantro for topping

Sterilize 4 – 8oz. canning jars and lids. Preheat the broiler. Put the poblano halves skin side up on a foil line pan with the onion and garlic. Broil until the poblano is charred and the onion and garlic are browned. Cool the poblano slightly and then peel off skin.

Put the tomatoes in a food processor until coarsely chopped. Transfer to a large bowl. Add the poblano, onion and garlic to the food processor and pulse until coarsely chopped. Transfer this to a wide saucepan. Add cumin, lime juice, vinegar, sugar and salt. Bring to a boil and cook, stirring occasionally until slightly reduced. Add the tomatoes and jalapenos to the pan and return to a boil about 5 minutes.

Fill the jars, seal and process. After opening, top the salsa with cilantro if desired. (cilantro will break down in the freezer if added)

Fresh Salsa

1 1/2 C Cilantro -chopped, 1 med. onion, diced, 2-3 tomatoes, diced, 1 can tomato sauce (8-12oz.), 1 tsp. minced garlic, 1/2 tsp. cumin seed, 1 jalapeno, seeded and diced, 1/2 tsp. salt, lime juice.

Blend all together. It will thicken as it sits. If you like it really thick, use the thick and zesty tomato sauce.

I serve this bread a lot with breakfast items, but its been known to be quite a hit for holiday gatherings as well.

Orange Glazed Poppyseed Bread – 4 small loaf pans or 2 8″ loaf pans

 Bread ingredients - 3 C Flour, 2 1/4 C sugar, 1 1/2 TB poppyseed, 1 1/2 tsp. baking powder, 1 1/2 tsp. salt, 3 eggs, 1 1/2 C milk, 1 C vegetable oil, and 1 1/2 tsp. each of vanilla, almond and butter extract.

 Glaze ingredients – 3/4 C sugar, 1/4 C orange juice, 1/2 tsp. each of vanilla, butter and almond extract

Preheat oven to 350 degrees

Combine the first 5 ingredients. Add eggs, milk, oil and extracts. Pour into your loaf pans. Bake for 45-1 hour depending on the size of your loaf pans. COOL COMPLETELY in the pans!

After the bread has cooled completely in the pans. Mix up your glaze.

In a saucepan, bring glaze ingredients to a boil. Pour over the bread in the pans. Cool 5 minutes. NO LONGER, otherwise the bread will not come out of the pans. Remove bread from pan and cool further.

This bread freezes well when you  have unexpected company. Enjoy!

My Granny Alice gave this recipe to me a couple of weeks ago and told me that I must try it. She is an amazing cook and I know after all these years that when she says it is worth a try, that I should listen. I am so glad I did. It is Incredible! I know you will think so too. I think Cherry or blueberry would be just a good. I have not tried it yet, but I will be sure I do. If you try it first, please let me know.

Apple Cheesecake Bars – 24 bars

1 pouch of Betty Crocker oatmeal cookie mix, 1/2 C firm butter, 2 packages of cream cheese, softened, 1/2 C sugar, 2 TB flour, 1 tsp. vanilla, 1 egg, 1 can apple pie filling, 1/2 tsp. cinnamon and 1/4 C chopped walnuts.

Heat oven to 350 degrees. Grease bottom and sides of a 8×10 inch pan.

Place cookie mix in a bowl; cut in butter until mixture is crumbly and coarse. Reserve 1 1/2 C of crumb mixture for later. Press remaining crumbs in bottom of pan. Bake 10 minutes.

Beat cream cheese, sugar, flour, vanilla  and egg until smooth. Spread cream cheese mixture evenly over partially baked crust. I make my own pie filling, but you can use a 21oz. can of your favorite and mix the cinnamon in with the pie filling. Spoon evenly over cream cheese mixture. Sprinkle reserved crumbs over top. Sprinkle with walnuts.

Bake 45-50 minutes longer or until light golden brown. Cool 30 minutes and then refrigerate to chill at least 2 hours, but its better overnight.

This is a great recipe since you can use so many items from your garden or the farmers market.

Garden Vegetable Omelet Bake – with or without ham – Serves 8

Preheat oven to 350 degrees

½ box  to 1 box(10oz) of frozen broccoli and cheese flavored sauce ( I only use ½) – May use fresh broccoli as well with an artisan cheese if you choose.

1 Can (10.2oz) Pills Grands Flaky refrigerated biscuits (8), 10 Eggs, 1 ½ C Milk, 1 tsp. ground mustard, Salt and pepper to taste, 2 C Diced ham (optional), 1/3 C Chopped Onion, 1/2 C Chopped zucchini, 1 C Shredded Cheddar, 1 C Shredded Swiss, and 1 canned or fresh Mushrooms (4.5oz)

Thaw broccoli pouch completely. Spray bottom of 13×9” glass baking dish. Separate dough into the 8 biscuits and lay in the greased baking dish. In a large bowl, beat eggs, milk, mustard, salt and pepper until blended. Stir in ham, onion, zucchini, both cheeses, mushrooms and broccoli and cheese sauce.

Pour mixture over biscuits and press down with back of a spoon to make sure all biscuits are covered.

Bake 40-50 min until edges are golden brown and puffed.

Let stand 10 min before serving