Mom’s day 2015

To celebrate Mother’s Day I am posting! Woo-hoo!

1. Fresh strawberry tarts: It’s May, and every day we have bowls of strawberries to deal with. I made these little tartlets with stuff I had sitting around and they turned out great. This makes about 18 muffin sized tarts.

• 1.5 cups vanilla wafer crumbs
• 1/2 cup powdered sugar
• 3 tablespoons melter butter
  

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• 1 package sugar-free strawberry jello
• 3/4 cup boiling water
• 1 8-0unce block of cream cheese
  

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• 2/3 cup sugar
• 2 tablespoons cornstarch
• 1/2 tsp vanilla
• 1 tablespoon lemon juice
• 1 cup fresh strawberries (for glaze)
  

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•  3 to 4 cups small whole fresh strawberries

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1. Mix the vanilla wafer crumbs, powdered sugar, and melted butter. Press about 1 tablespoon into the bottom of each lined muffin tin. Bake at 350 for 5 minutes.
2. Dissolve the gelatin in 3/4 cup boiling water. Beat cream cheese until smooth, gradually adding the dissolved gelatin. The mixture will be runny. Set this in the refrigerator while you prepare the whole strawberries.
3. Put a heaping tablespoon of the cream cheese mixture on top of the crumb crust. You may need to use your spoon to spread it around. Set back into the refrigerator while you make the glaze.
4. Combine sugar, cornstarch, lemon juice, and 1 cup strawberries in a small saucepan. Mash the strawberries up, then heat the mixture and cook on medium heat, stirring. Let it come to a boil for 2 minutes.
5. Place several strawberries in each tart, then spoon the warm glaze over the berries. Refrigerate.
6. Eat

I bet these would be good with fresh peaches too.

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2. I’ve been experimenting with microwave cooking this year. I know a couple of my children consider this blasphemous (I’m talking to you, Matt and Aric), but I have my reasons:

1. Our house is not air conditioned. And we live in Oklahoma.
2. There are only two of us to cook for now.
3. It is fast.
4. It is actually more “green” than using our gas stove, since our electricity is renewable (wind generated).

The mug cake recipe was a big hit when I visited the grandkids in Nashville. Everyone can add their own mix-ins, and you don’t have any leftovers: 3 Tbsp cake mix, 2 Tbsp water, 1 minute in the microwave.

This week I found several recipes for mac and cheese in a mug. They are all pretty much the same, but I add one ingredient that most do not: a teaspoon of cornstarch, which makes it extra creamy. This recipe makes one serving, and keeps you from over-indulging. Use a large mug to avoid the liquids boiling over.

1. Cook for approximately 2 minutes on high.

• 1/3 cup dry macaroni
• 1/3 cup water

2. Add to mug, stir, and cook another 2 to 3 minutes.

• 1/3 cup milk
• 1 tsp cornstarch

3. Stir into mug until cheese melts. Eat.

• 1/3 cup shredded cheese
• salt and black pepper
• 1  tsp butter (optional, I don’t do this)

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