Strawberry Buttermilk Cake

It's been a long winter here, and it's still hanging around. So when perusing Kristy's blog for this month's Secret Recipe Club I knew right away that I would need to make this lovely cake. Fresh strawberries just scream spring to me, and nestled in a buttery, lemon-scented cake, they really shine.

One note: I folded my strawberries into the batter. Kristy put hers on top, which leads to a much more beautiful result. Do what you like and find most convenient!

Start by creaming together the butter and sugar until light and fluffy. Add in the vanilla, egg and lemon zest



and beat until smooth. (I was doubling the recipe to make 2 cakes, so that's why there are 2 eggs, just FYI!)

In another small bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, baking soda and salt. Now add this to the creamed mixture alternating with the buttermilk, starting and ending with the flour.



Mix just until combined. If you're folding in the strawberries, do that now.



Then transfer the batter into a greased 8 inch cake pan.



(If you didn't fold in the strawberries, now is the time to scatter them across the top of the batter.)

Bake the cake for 20-25 minutes or until a toothpick comes out clean. Cool on a wire rack.



Enjoy warm or at room temperature, on its own or with ice cream!



One year ago: Vodka Sauce (another great SRC recipe!)
Two years ago: Peanut Butter Chocolate Chip Cookies
Three years ago: Oatmeal Caramel Chocolate Bars

Strawberry Buttermilk Cake

1 cup flour
1/2 tsp. baking powder
1/2 tsp. baking soda
1/4 tsp. salt
1/4 cup butter, softened
1/3 cup sugar
1 tsp. vanilla
1 tsp. lemon zest, finely grated
1 egg
1/2 cup buttermilk
1/2 cup sliced fresh strawberries

In a small bowl, whisk together flour, baking powder, baking soda and salt. In a large mixing bowl, cream together butter and sugar until light and fluffy. Add vanilla, lemon zest and egg and beat until smooth.

Add in the flour mixture and buttermilk, alternating between the two, starting and ending with the flour. Transfer batter to a greased 8 inch round cake pan and sprinkle strawberries over the top. Bake at 400 for 20-25 minutes or until a toothpick comes out clean. Cool in the pan for at least 10 minutes. Serve warm or at room temperature. Serves 8.

Sweet and Spicy Citrus Tilapia

I think this is my personal record for number of fish-related postings during Lent! As I mentioned, eating more fish was one of my strategies for making healthy choices. If you missed parmesan tilapia or soy glazed salmon, be sure to check those out!

This recipe involves a quick marinade for tilapia in a spiced fruity concoction. Then the fish is baked and served up with the sauce.

To make the marinade, combine the orange juice, brown sugar, olive oil, soy sauce,



cumin,



cayenne,



and lime juice. (Do you have one of these citrus juicers? I just love it!)



Place the tilapia in a baking pan and then cover with the marinade.



Sprinkle the fish with the paprika.



Bake the fish for about 15 minutes or until it flakes easily with a fork.



Although I served this with brussels sprouts, you should definitely serve it with a rice pilaf to soak up all that delicious sauce!

One year ago: Chewy Molasses Squares
Two years ago: Irish Stew
Three years ago: Fruited Bran Muffins


Find more great stuff at Full Plate Thursday, Pennywise Platter, Recipe Box, Thursday's Treasures, Foodie Friday, Food on Fridays, Foodtastic Friday, Foodie Friday (#2).

Sweet and Spicy Citrus Tilapia

4 (6-ounce) tilapia fillets
1/2 cup orange juice
3 Tbsp. fresh lime juice (about 1 lime)
1 Tbsp. brown sugar
1 Tbsp. olive oil
2 tsp. soy sauce
1/2 tsp. salt
1/2 tsp. cumin
1/4 tsp. black pepper
1/4 tsp. cayenne pepper
2 garlic cloves, minced
1/2 tsp. paprika

Arrange fish in a single layer in a baking pan coated with cooking spray. Combine orange juice and next 9 ingredients (through garlic); pour over fish. Let stand 15 minutes.

Sprinkle fish with paprika; bake at 400 for 15 minutes or until desired degree of doneness. Drizzle sauce over fish. Serves 4.

Raspberry Cream Cheese Coffee Cake

I love making desserts, but I love making breakfast treats, too. So when it's someone's birthday at work, I give her the option of breakfast treat or dessert treat. This was made for a colleague's recent birthday and was a HUGE hit. Of course, any treat mid morning is a wonderful decadence, but when it's a beautiful coffee cake with a cream cheese and fruity layer, topped with almondy streusel, well, then, everyone is a winner, birthday girl or not.

Start by preparing the fruit filling. Combine the raspberries and apple juice in a medium saucepan.



Bring to a slow boil and cook for a few minutes, until raspberries soften. In a small bowl, combine the cornstarch with a teaspoon of water and stir until dissolved. Add this to the raspberries,



and cook and stir until slightly thickened, about 1-2 minutes. Set aside and let the berry mixture cool to room temperature. Meanwhile, in the bowl of a food processor, combine the flour and 3/4 cup of the sugar and pulse just to mix. Add in the cubed butter



and pulse until the mixture resembles coarse crumbs. (If you don't have a food processor, just cut in the butter using two knives or a pastry blender.) Reserve 1/2 cup of the flour/butter mixture, and place the rest in a large bowl. To the large batch, add the baking powder, soda, salt and lemon peel.



In a large measuring cup, combine the yogurt, 1 egg and the vanilla and stir well. Add the yogurt mixture to the flour/lemon peel mixture



and stir until all the dry ingredients are moistened. Press this batter into a greased springform pan. (It will be sticky, and you'll probably have to use your fingers!)

For the cream cheese layer, combine the cream cheese, remaining sugar and egg and lemon juice



in the bowl of the food processor (or a mixer). Pulse or mix until smooth. Pour the cream cheese mixture over the batter in the pan,



leaving a small border around the edge.



Pour the raspberry mixture over the cream cheese layer.



Add the almonds to the reserved flour/butter mixture, and sprinkle the topping around the edge of the coffee cake.



Bake the cake for 35-45 minutes until the top is golden and the middle is just a little bit shaky. Transfer to a wire rack and let cool for 15 minutes before removing the sides of the pan.



Serve warm or at room temperature. (If you like, you can make a little traditional glaze to drizzle over the top - I just used about 1/3 cup powdered sugar and 1 teaspoon of milk, and whisked together, then spooned over the top.)

One year ago: Bananas Foster Bread
Two years ago: Tiramisu
Three years ago: Shrimp LoMein

Find more great stuff at Mop it Up Monday, Mix it Up Monday, Melt in Your Mouth Monday, On the Menu Monday, Seasonal Inspiration, Tasty Tuesday, Tempt my Tummy Tuesday, Tasteful Tuesday, Tuesday Talent Show, Clever Chicks.

Raspberry Cream Cheese Coffee Cake

1 cup frozen raspberries
1/4 cup apple juice
1 tsp. cornstarch
2 cups flour
1 cup sugar, divided
1/2 cup cold butter, cut into chunks
1/2 tsp. baking powder
1/2 tsp. baking soda
1/4 tsp. salt
1 tsp. grated lemon peel
1 - 6 oz. container plain or vanilla yogurt
1 tsp. vanilla
2 eggs, divided
6 ounces cream cheese, softened (low fat is fine)
1 tsp. lemon juice
1/2 cup sliced almonds

In small saucepan over medium heat, bring raspberries and apple juice to a boil. Lower heat and simmer, stirring occasionally, 3 minutes. In a small bowl, blend cornstarch and 1 teaspoon water. Add to berry mixture; stir until it simmers and thickens, about 1 minute. Let cool to room temperature.

In a bowl or food processor, mix flour and 3/4 cup sugar. Add butter to flour mixture. Cut in with a pastry blender or pulse until mixture resembles coarse crumbs. Reserve 1/2 cup; pour remaining into a large bowl. Stir in baking powder, baking soda, salt, and lemon peel.

In a bowl, mix yogurt, vanilla, and 1 egg until blended; stir into flour-baking powder mixture until incorporated. Spread batter in a greased 9-inch springform pan.

In a bowl or food processor, beat or pulse cream cheese, remaining 1/4 cup sugar, remaining egg, and lemon juice until smooth. Spread over batter in pan, leaving a 1/2-inch border bare. Gently spread raspberry mixture over cream cheese mixture, leaving some visible. Stir almonds into reserved flour mixture and sprinkle over cake, concentrating most around edge of batter.

Bake at 350 until center of cake barely jiggles when pan is gently shaken and top of cake is golden brown, 30 to 40 minutes. Let cool on a rack for 15 minutes, then remove pan rim. Drizzle with simple icing if desired. Serve warm or at room temperature. Serves 8-10

Soy Glazed Salmon

Lately, I've been trying to make some better choices as far as eating, and consuming more fish is one such choice. I really love fish so this is no hardship, and it's been fun to try different ways to make it. And stay tuned, there are a couple more on the horizon!

This super easy treatment for salmon yields a tender, delicious fish for dinner that's seasoned just right. And it's so fast! (That is one of my favorite things about cooking fish - SUPER fast!)

To make the glaze, combine the brown sugar, lemon juice, olive oil, soy sauce,



and wine in a small bowl or measuring cup. Stir well until the sugar dissolves. Place the salmon fillets in a baking pan or on a rimmed baking sheet and pour the glaze over the top of them.



Bake 12-17 minutes, depending on the thickness of the fish. (You'll know when it's done when it's opaque but still bright pink inside.) Every few minutes, baste the fish with the glaze.

Serve with lemon slices!



One year ago: Garlic Breadsticks
Two years ago: Oatmeal Chocolate Cherry Cookies
Three years ago: Toasted Coconut Pie

Get more ideas at Full Plate Thursday, Pennywise Platter, Recipe Box, rty.html">Thursday's Treasures, Foodie Friday, Food on Fridays, Foodtastic Friday, Foodie Friday (#2).

Soy Glazed Salmon

1/4 cup brown sugar
1/4 cup olive oil
3 Tbsp. soy sauce
2 Tbsp. fresh lemon juice
2 Tbsp. dry white wine, or water
1 pound salmon fillets (4 pieces)

For the glaze, in a small bowl, stir brown sugar, olive oil, soy sauce, lemon juice, and white wine until the sugar has dissolved.

Place salmon pieces, skin side down, in a single layer in a baking dish. Pour glaze over the fish, and turn to coat evenly.

Bake at 400 until fish is opaque but still bright pink inside, basting every few minutes with glaze from baking dish, 15 to 20 minutes. Serve with lemon wedges. Serves 4.

Recipe Source: Martha Stewart

Ham and Broccoli Quinoa Cups

These little cups of goodness came highly recommended from Mel. And you can trust her recommendations. She made these in mini mufifn cups but I wanted to make them in a standard muffin tin so I could make them more meal-like and less snack-like. Either way, they're truly delicious, and really good for you - packed with protein from quinoa, ham and cheese and chock full of yummy broccoli. These also freeze well, so they can be stored up for lunches or pulled out for a last minute dinner.

Start by preparing the quinoa. If you're new to quinoa, one of the most important tips is that you must RINSE it. Just place it in a fine mesh sieve and run cold water over it for a minute or so.


Add the rinsed quinoa to a saucepan with the chicken broth. Bring to a boil, then reduce the heat, cover the pot, and simmer for about 15 minutes or until the quinoa "pops" and most of the liquid is absorbed. You may need to carefully drain off any extra liquid.

While the quinoa cooks, you can chop up the broccoli and ham. Put it in a large mixing bowl,



then add the cooked quinoa to it.



Stir in the lightly beaten eggs,



and season with salt and pepper. Stir to combine and then add the parmesan



and the cheddar.



Stir well until all the ingredients are incorporated. Scoop the mixture into a greased muffin pan



and use the back of a spoon to press the mixture into the cups. You want enough "stuff" in each cup to come to the top.



Bake for about 30 minutes or until golden. Cool slightly in the tin, then carefully remove.



I hope you like these as well I did!



One year ago: White Chocolate Macadamia Nut Cookies
Two years ago: Creamy Orzo and Chicken
Three years ago: Toasted Coconut Pie

Find more great ideas at Mop it Up Monday, Mix it Up Monday, Recipe Sharing Monday, On the Menu Monday, Seasonal Inspiration, Tasty Tuesday, Tasty Tuesday (#2), Tempt my Tummy Tuesday, Totally Tasty Tuesday, Tasteful Tuesday, Tuesday Talent Show, Clever Chicks, Hearth and Soul, Cast Party Wednesday, Whatcha Whipped Up, What's Cooking Wednesday, Wicked Good Wednesdays, Wednesday Extravaganza, Ingredient Spotlight: Ham and Cheese.

Ham and Broccoli Quinoa Cups

1 cup uncooked quinoa
2 cups chicken broth
2 eggs, lightly beaten
1 cup chopped baked ham
2 cups finely chopped steamed broccoli
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon black pepper
1/4 cup finely shredded Parmesan cheese
1 cup shredded sharp cheddar cheese

Rinse the quinoa in a fine mesh strainer. Combine the rinsed quinoa and the chicken broth in a medium saucepan and bring to a boil. Cover, reduce heat to low and simmer for about 15 minutes until most of the liquid is absorbed. If necessary, drain off any remaining liquid.

In a large bowl, stir together the cooked quinoa, eggs, ham, broccoli and salt and pepper. Stir in the cheese until well-distributed. Scoop the quinoa mixture into greased muffin cups, filling the cups all the way to the top and lightly pressing with the back of a spoon. Bake at 350 for 30 minutes, until golden on top. Serve warm or at room temperature. Makes 12 cups.

Recipe Source: Adapted from Mel's Kitchen Cafe

Parmesan Tilapia

I tend to get in a fish rut - falling back on my tried and true tilapia amandine even when there are lots of other great recipes to try. So I kicked myself out of a rut and I am so glad I did! This version of fish is absolutely delicious, and super easy.

This parmesan version is a combination of several I've seen on the web and pinterest. It is so fast that it can be on the table in less than 20 minutes, if you can make a few side dishes that fast!

Start by patting the fish dry and then place it on a lightly greased rimmed baking sheet. (You could use a cake pan, also.) Brush the fish with lemon juice.

Bake for 5-10 minutes. (This will depend on the thickness of your filets - mine were quite thin and 6 minutes was perfect.) While the fish bakes, you can whip up the topping. In a small bowl, combine the butter, mayonnaise, Old Bay seasoning,



basil and parmesan cheese.



Mix well with a fork, making sure to smash up any chunks of parmesan.



Spread the topping over the fish



and return to the oven for 5-8 minutes or until the fish flakes easily with a fork. I'm so glad to have another great recipe to use for tilapia! (Try the side dish, too - Balsamic Roasted Green Beans!)



One year ago: Chipotle Shrimp Tacos
Two years ago: Greek Salad
Three years ago: Beef and Barley Soup with Mushrooms

Find more great ideas at Full Plate Thursday, Pennywise Platter, Recipe Box, Thursday's Treasures, Foodie Friday, Food on Fridays, Foodtastic Friday, Foodie Friday (#2).

Parmesan Tilapia

4 tilapia filets (1 pound total)
2 tsp. lemon juice
1 1/2 Tbsp. butter
1 1/2 Tbsp. mayonnaise
1/3 tsp. Old Bay seasoning
1/4 tsp. basil
1/3 cup grated Parmesan

Pat fish filets with a paper towel and then place on a greased baking sheet or in a baking pan. Brush with the lemon juice. Bake at 350 for 5-10 minutes, depending on fish thickness.

Meanwhile, combine the remaining ingredients in a small bowl, and stir well to combine. Spread topping over fish and return to oven for an additional 5-8 minutes or until fish flakes easily with a fork. Serves 4.

Balsamic Roasted Green Beans

I love roasting vegetables - I've already shared a vegetable mix, brussels sprouts, cauliflower, and green beans. When I saw this recipe, I thought it was a great variation on roasting - adding in balsamic vinegar and then topping with a sprinkling of Parmesan. I could tell by looking at it that it would taste good, but I was unprepared for how the balsamic vinegar brought out the sweetness of the beans. Wow! I can't wait to try this method with other vegetables now!

In a large bowl, combine the green beans, mushrooms, oil



and vinegar and stir well to coat all the vegetables. Turn out onto a large baking sheet



and spread out in a single layer.



Roast at 450 for 20-30 minutes or until beans are tender.



Sprinkle with parmesan and season with salt and pepper.




One year ago: Chicken, Bacon and Avocado Quesadillas
Two years ago: Chicken Noodle Casserole
Three years ago: Hummus

Find more great ideas at My Meatless Mondays, Mop it Up Monday, Mix it up Monday, Melt in your Mouth Monday, Recipe Sharing Monday, On the Menu Monday, Seasonal Inspiration, Tasty Tuesday, Tempt my Tummy Tuesday, Totally Tasty Tuesdays, Tasteful Tuesday, Tuesday Talent Show, Clever Chicks.

Balsamic Roasted Green Beans

1 pound fresh green beans, ends trimmed
4 oz. fresh sliced mushrooms, coarsely chopped
1 1/2 Tbsp. olive oil
1 Tbsp. balsamic vinegar
2 Tbsp. freshly grated Parmesan

In a large bowl, combine the green beans, mushrooms, oil and vinegar, and stir well to coat all the vegetables. Spread out in a single layer onto a large baking sheet and roast at 450 for 20-30 minutes or until beans are tender. Sprinkle with parmesan and season with salt and pepper. Serves 4.

Recipe Source: Adapted from Kalyn's Kitchen