Flavors blend in decadent desserts

smcclanahan

I hope each of you were able to brave the hot and humid weather and have an enjoyable Independence Day holiday. We were able to spend it with family and a few very special people. Yes, it was hot, but we grilled our traditional barbecue chicken, as we do every July Fourth. My uncle Bill made a very special basting sauce that we have used for years, and it just makes the chicken. We also enjoyed a weekend full of fireworks and swimming. The weekend just flew by so fast, and it is back to our normal routine again.

Tracey Tripp of Cape Girardeau sent me a couple of recipes some time ago, and I had misplaced them until this week. This chocolate cake sounds absolutely decadent, and I can't wait to give it a try.

Deeply Chocolate Almond Cake

1 ounce unsweetened chocolate, coarsely chopped

1/3 cup water

1 package plain devil's food cake mix

1 cup buttermilk or add 1 tablespoon vinegar to 1 cup regular milk

1/2 cup vegetable oil

3 large eggs

1 teaspoon pure almond extract

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Generously grease two 9-inch pans with solid vegetable shortening; dust with flour. Set pans aside. Heat the chopped chocolate and water in a small saucepan over low heat until melted, stirring constantly. Set the pan aside to cool for 10 minutes. Place the cake mix, buttermilk, oil, eggs, almond extract and melted chocolate mixture in a large mixing bowl. Blend with an electric mixer on low speed for 1 minute. Scrape down sides of bowl. Beat 2 minutes at medium speed, scraping down sides again if needed. The batter should look thick and combined. Divide the batter between the prepared pans. Bake for about 28 to 30 minutes or until they spring back when lightly pressed with your finger and just start to pull away from the sides of the pan. Cool in pans on wire rack for about 5 minutes, remove from pan and cool completely.

Cream Cheese Frosting

(this makes the cake!)

1 package (8 ounce) cream cheese, at room temperature

1 stick butter (1/2 cup) at room temperature

3 3/4 cups sifted powdered sugar

1 teaspoon pure almond extract

Blend the cream cheese and butter in a large mixing bowl with an electric mixer until combined. Add the powdered sugar, a little at a time, until the sugar is well incorporated, about 1 minute. Add the almond extract, then blend the frosting until fluffy, about 1 minute more. Use to frost the top and sides of the cake. Place the frosted cake, uncovered, in the refrigerator until the frosting sets, about 20 minutes. Loosely cover the cake with waxed paper and store in the refrigerator for up to 1 week.

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Jodi Thompson has sent in several recipes for you to try this week. I have to admit that all of them sound very interesting and I know you'll want to keep them for your files.

This first recipe is in response to last week's request for diabetic recipes. Note the slow oven temperature to dry out the meringues and make them light and crisp.

Mary Tyler Moore's Almond Meringue Cookies

4 egg whites

8 teaspoons of powdered skim milk

1 teaspoon of vanilla extract

1 teaspoon of almond extract

1 teaspoon of liquid artificial sweetener

Cinnamon to taste

Beat egg white until stiff. Add skim milk powder. Mix well. Add extracts and sugar substitute. Drop cookies by spoonfuls onto cookie sheet.

Bake at 275 degrees for 45 minutes. Remove from cookie sheet and dust with cinnamon. Yields 2 to 2 1/2 dozen. One cookie equals 32 calories.

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I absolutely love blueberries and a hint of lemon just takes this cake to another level. Jodi shares this cool summertime favorite with us. If you have not tried the cartoned, pasteurized egg whites, this would be a great time to try them, so you don't have to separate all of those eggs. They are found in a carton along with the eggs in the refrigerated egg case at the store.

Blueberry Angel Food Cake

1 1/2 cups sugar, divided

1 cup sifted cake flour

12 large egg whites (about 1 1/2 cups)

1 1/4 teaspoons cream of tartar

1/2 teaspoon salt

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

1 1/2 cups fresh or frozen blueberries

2 tablespoons sifted cake flour

1 tablespoon grated lemon rind

Glaze:

1 cup powdered sugar

3 tablespoons fresh lemon juice

Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Sift together 1/2 cup sugar and 1 cup flour. In a large bowl, beat egg whites with a mixer at high speed until foamy. Add cream of tartar and salt; beat until soft peaks form. Add 1 cup sugar, 2 tablespoons at a time, beating until stiff peaks form. Sift flour mixture over egg white mixture, 1/4 cup at a time; fold in. Fold in vanilla and blueberries. Combine 2 tablespoons flour and lemon rind; toss to coat. Sprinkle over egg white mixture; fold in. Spoon the batter into an ungreased 10-inch tube pan, spreading evenly. Break air pockets by cutting through batter with a knife. Bake at 375 degrees for 40 minutes or until cake springs back when lightly touched.

Invert pan; cool completely. Loosen the cake from sides of pan using a narrow metal spatula. Invert cake onto plate. To prepare the glaze, combine the powdered sugar and lemon juice in a small bowl; stir well with a whisk. Drizzle over cooled cake. Yields 8 servings. Calories 297 (1 percent from fat); carbohydrates 68.2 grams.

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Jodi sent in this recipe that she uses on grilled chicken or fish. It also makes a nice side dipping sauce for your favorites off the grill.

Lemon Barbecue Sauce

1/2 cup margarine

3 teaspoons flour

1/3 cup water

1/8 teaspoon pepper

1/4 teaspoon dried thyme

3 tablespoons lemon juice

4 teaspoons sugar

1 teaspoon salt

1/8 teaspoon Tabasco sauce

Melt margarine in a small sauce pan over low heat. Stir in flour and cook until bubbly. Remove from heat and gradually add water, lemon juice, sugar, salt, pepper, thyme and Tabasco sauce. Cook over moderate heat, stirring constantly until slightly thickened. When cool blend well in the blender. Makes about 1 cup.

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Jodi also shares a cool cucumber recipe with us today. In the instructions it says to refrigerate two hours, but she said they never last that long at her house.

Cucumbers with dressing

1 cup mayonnaise

1/4 cup sugar

1/4 cup vinegar

1/4 teaspoon salt

4 cups sliced cucumbers

In a bowl, combine mayonnaise, sugar, vinegar and salt. Add cucumbers; stir to coat. Cover and refrigerate for two hours. Yields 6 to 8 servings.

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My dad has told the story many times of the pickled watermelon rind he and his twin brother ate when they were small children. I would like to think that this recipe would be somewhat like he recalls as a child.

Pickled Watermelon Rind

1 or more watermelons

4 1/4 cups water

5 pounds sugar

10 cinnamon sticks

Large handful cloves

1 tablespoon salt

3 1/8 cups white vinegar

Peel the outer skin off the melon and remove the flesh, leaving just the white rind. Cut the rind into approximately 1 1/2-by-1/2-inch pieces. In a large saucepan, combine the water, sugar, cinnamon sticks, cloves, salt and vinegar. Boil until the sugar dissolves. Place the watermelon rind in the saucepan and leave covered for 24 hours. After 24 hours, remove the rind and bring the syrup and spices to the boil. Remove from the heat, return the rind to the saucepan, cover, and let it sit another 24 hours. Repeat this process for two more days. On the fifth day, heat both the rind and the syrup together. Remove the cinnamon sticks and place the pickles in eight quart-sized jars. Place the jars in a hot water bath for 20 minutes to vacuum seal the lids.

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With salmon so available now in the seafood case at the store, or even frozen, this makes a delicious entrée to serve year-round. This recipe was also sent to us by Jodi. The little bite of the pepper and the sweetness of the maple syrup makes for a delightful combination.

Maple-lime grilled salmon fillets

4 (6 ounce) salmon fillets

1/3 cup lime juice

1 tablespoon garlic, minced

1/3 cup salad oil

2 tablespoons red onion, chopped

1 tablespoon parsley, chopped

1/2 jalapeno, finely chopped

1/2 cup, plus 2 tablespoons maple syrup

Chop the vegetables and herbs. Whisk all together or mix with a food processor. Marinate fillets for two to six hours in a plastic or glass container, cover and refrigerate.

Preheat grill and wipe the grill-top with an oiled paper towel. Place fillets on grill, and cook for 3 to 4 minutes. Turn salmon to finish and cook just until the salmon flakes. Yields: 4 servings.

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Wow, I have really used up the space this week and need to bring this to a close. Please remember the request we have for diabetic recipes and send in your favorites so I can pass them on to the person who has made the request.

Have a delightful week and so, until next time, happy cooking.

Susan McClanahan is administrator at the Cape Girardeau Senior Center. Send recipes to her at smcclanahan@semissourian.com or by mail at P.O. Box 699; Cape Girardeau, Mo. 63701. Recipes published have not been kitchen-tested by the Southeast Missourian staff.