Basil wine gelee

• 3/4 c. sweet white wine
• 1/2 packet unflavored gelatin
• 2 TBS water
• leaves from 3 small sprigs of basil

Blanch basil for 30 seconds in boiling water then plunge into cold water.

Bring wine to a boil.  Boil until volume is reduced to 1/2 c.

Meanwhile, bloom gelatin in 2 TBS water for 5 minutes.

Remove wine from heat.  Add basil.  Puree with a blender.  Strain through a fine sieve to remove basil particles.

Return wine to heat.  Add bloomed gelatin, stirring until it dissolves.  Pour into a dish and refrigerate until set.

Notes:
Gelee will be wine colored, not basil colored, unless you use a lot more basil.  Blanching is probably unimportant with this quantity of basil.

This gelee goes nicely with a sweet, fruity salad.  It has a mild basil flavor.

Calabacitas rellenas

• 2 medium zucchini
• half an onion, chopped
• 1 lb ground beef
• 12 oz bottle enchilada sauce
• 4 oz grated cheese

Preheat oven to 350.  Trim ends of zucchini and slice zucchini in half lengthwise.  Scoop out some of the flesh to make a boat shape.  (Discard flesh or save for another purpose.)  Brush cut side with oil and place cut side down in a 9x13" baking dish.  Bake until zucchini is softened, about 45 minutes.

Saute onion until translucent.  Add beef and cook thoroughly.  Drain fat.  Add enchilada sauce (result will be a bit soupy if you use all of it) and bring to a simmer.  Add any other seasonings if desired.  Turn off heat.

Remove cooked zucchini from baking dish.  Grease or butter the dish.  Return zucchini to dish, cut side up.  Fill boats generously with beef mixture.  Sprinkle cheese on top.

Turn on broiler and put baking dish in oven.  Cook until cheese is melted (about 4 minutes).

Notes:
This makes enough extra beef mixture to fill 1-2 more zucchini.  If you don't want leftovers, maybe halve the beef mixture.

Serving size is about 1 zucchini per person.  Can be served with tortilla chips for scooping up any filling that spills out.

Oatmeal Nutella mug cake

(from http://www.thekitchn.com/recipe-oatmeal-mug-cake-with-nutella-in-the-middle-recipes-from-the-kitchn-201721)

• 3 TBS milk
• 1 TBS olive oil or vegetable oil
• 1 TBS sugar
• 3 TBS flour
• 1.5 TBS rolled oats
• dash of salt
• 1/4 tsp baking powder
• 1/4 tsp cinnamon
• 1 TBS chopped or crushed pecans
• 1 TBS Nutella

In a mug, mix milk, oil, and sugar.  Stir in flour.  Stir in remaining ingredients except Nutella.

Drop Nutella into batter and push down slightly until covered.

Microwave for 30 seconds and then in 15 second intervals until done.  Dump onto a plate.

Note:
General purpose gluten-free flour can be substituted for the regular flour.

Chocolate chip cookie in a mug

(From http://www.number-2-pencil.com/2012/03/06/chocolate-chip-cookie-in-cup/)

• 1 TBS butter
• 1 TBS sugar
• 1 TBS brown sugar
• dash of vanilla extract
• pinch of salt
• 1 egg yolk
• scant 1/4 c. flour
• 2 heaping TBS chocolate chips

Melt butter in a mug in the microwave.  Add sugars, vanilla, and salt and stir.  Stir in yolk.  Stir in flour.  Stir in chocolate chips.  Microwave until done (probably 40-60 seconds).

Rosemary orange pecans

(Modified from http://www.framedcooks.com/2011/01/buttered-rosemary-orange-nuts.html)

• 2 c. pecans
• 1 TBS butter
• 3 TBS sugar
• 2 TBS coarsely chopped fresh rosemary
• 2 TBS orange zest
• (sea) salt to taste

Toast pecans in a medium skillet.  Remove from skillet.

Over medium-high heat, melt butter.  Add all other ingredients.  Stir just until sugar is melted and everything is combined, ~2 minutes.

Dump pecans onto parchment paper to cool.

Berry cobbler

Filling:

• 3 c. berries
• ~2/3 c. sugar
• 1 TBS flour

Put all filling ingredients in a saucepan and bring to a boil.  Remove from heat.

Topping:

• 7/8 c. flour
• 1/4 tsp salt
• 1.5 tsp baking powder
• 1 TBS sugar
• 3 TBS butter
• 3/8 c. milk
• 2 TBS butter
• cinnamon sugar for sprinkling

Preheat oven to 425.  Grease a 8x8" baking dish.

Mix dry ingredients.  Cut in 3 TBS butter until mixture resembles coarse meal.  Stir in milk.

Put berry filling in baking dish.  Drop spoonfuls of topping over it.  Dot top with 2 TBS butter, cut into small pieces.  Sprinkle with cinnamon sugar.

Bake until topping looks cooked and lightly browned, about 30 minutes.  Start checking at 25 minute point.

Bailey's Irish cream fudge

• 3 12 oz. bags semisweet chocolate chips
• 6 TBS butter
• 10 oz. can sweetened condensed milk
• 1/2 c. Bailey's

Line a 9x9" baking dish with foil and grease with butter.

In a large saucepan, heat all ingredients until melted, stirring occasionally.  Pour into prepared dish.

Refrigerate fudge until solid.  Remove from pan and peel off foil.  Cut into 1" squares.

Notes:  It doesn't work very well with amaretto--not strong enough almond flavor.  If I try that again, I should add almond extract too.  It doesn't work very well with Kahlua--not strongly enough flavored either.  I added a scant 1/2 tsp of instant coffee to the Kahlua and could hardly taste it.  If I try again, I'd add more coffee.