Rhubarb spice cake

• 2 cups diced rhubarb
• 1/2 cup sugar
• 1/2 cup shortening
• 1 egg
• 2 cups flour
• 1 tsp. baking soda
• 1 tsp cinnamon
• 1 tsp nutmeg
• 1 cup buttermilk
• 1 tsp vanilla
• dash salt

Combine rhubarb and 1/2 cup sugar. Set aside.

Mix all other ingredients well. Add rhubarb. Bake at 350 degrees for 45 minutes in a 9x9 pan. 

Tostadas

Tortillas
Cheese
Meat
salsa
other toppings


Tostadas are pretty simple. Start by cooking up your favorite tortilla. Traditionally they use crispy fried corn tortillas but if you like flour tortillas just go for it. You can even buy pre-cooked tostada shells.

Top the tostada with cheese and bake in the oven at 350 until the cheese is melted.

Top with your choice of meat. I recommend the sweet pork from this recipe. But you can even use fajita meat, shredded chicken, shrimp, whatever.

Put the warm meat on top of the melted cheese and top with salsa, corn, beans, lettuce, or whatever sounds good to you. Finish off with a drizzle of the tomatillo ranch dressing that you can find here.

This is a great dish that each person can personalize. Serve each person  their plain cheese tostada and let them choose from the meats and toppings you have.

Rhubarb Custard Cake

Custard Layer

2 cups chopped rhubarb (2-3 large stalks)
1/2 cup sugar
1 cup whipping cream

Cake Layer-you can use a box yellow cake mix or this recipe

1/4 cup oil
1 egg
2/3 cup milk

2 tsp. vanilla extract

1 1/4  cups  flour

1 1/2 tsp. baking powder

1/2 tsp. salt

3/4 cup sugar

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Mix rhubarb and 1/2 cup sugar and set to the side. 

Mix the cake according to the box directions or mix wet ingredients (oil, egg, milk, vanilla) together then slowly add in the dry ingredients. Mix well. 

Pour the cake into a greased 9x9 baking dish. 

Sprinkle the rhubarb and any juices over the top. 

Slowly pour the cream over the top. Try not to pour too fast or the cream will start to mix in the cake. You want it to pool on top. 

Bake for 50-60 minutes or until cake is cooked and lightly browned but custard layer (now underneath) is still moist.

Happy mothers day

Thank you to all mothers out there. In your honor, here is a picture of mothers day brunch.

English muffins, smoked salmon, asparagus, poached egg, and hollandaise sauce with crispy hash browns and cantaloupe.

Lamb Roast

Mix together olive oil, salt, pepper, onion powder, minced garlic, and herbs (rosemary, thyme, etc.). Rub it over a lamb roast and place in a roasting pan.

Cook at 350 degrees for about 40 minutes or until the center reaches about 150 degrees.  Take it out of the oven and place the meat on a plate or cutting board. Let rest 5-10 minutes. Serve with roast potatoes. Steamed veggies, and mint sauce or a quick pan sauce.


For the pan sauce, As soon as you take the meat out of the pan, De-glaze with a little wine. Then pour all the juices into a small sauce pot and simmer until you are ready to serve.

Nordy Bars

• 1/2 cup butter
• 12 oz. package of butterscotch chips
• 1/2 cup brown sugar
• 2 eggs
• 1 1/2 cups flour
• 2 tsp. baking powder
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 2 tsp vanilla
• 12. oz package chocolate chips
• 2 cups mini marshmallows
• OPTIONAL: 1 cup nuts

In a medium saucepan, heat the butter, butterscotch chips, and brown sugar till melted. It may get a little lumpy and that is okay. Remove from the heat and stir in the eggs. Mix quickly so the eggs don't scramble. 

Add in the flour, baking powder, salt, and vanilla. Let it cool until it won't melt the chocolate chips.

Add in the remaining ingredients. 

Pour into a greased 13x9" pan. Bake at 350 degrees for 35-40 minutes. let cool before cutting. 

Marble Cake

• 6 Tbsp. cocoa
• 2 Tbsp. oil
• 1 1/4 cups sugar
• 1/4 cup water
• 1 tsp vanilla
• 1/2 cup softened butter
• 2 cups flour
• 3/4 cup evaporated milk
• 3 eggs
• 2 tsp. baking powder
• 1 tsp orange extract
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 1/2 tsp baking soda
• confectioners sugar

Preheat oven to 350 degrees and grease a 9" spring form pan. 

In a small bowl mix the cocoa, oil, 1/4 cup sugar, water, and vanilla.

In a large bowl,  mix 1 cup sugar, and all other ingredients except the chocolate mixture and the powdered sugar. Beat for 5 minutes in a mixer on low. 

Remove 2 1/2 cups of batter. Beat the chocolate mixture into the remaining batter. 

Alternately spoon in chocolate and plain batter into the pan in a checkerboard type pattern. It may take a few layers. 

Use a knife and cut through the batter a few times to marble it together. 

Bake 55-60 minutes (top will crack).

Cool for about 10 minutes before taking out of the pan and sprinkle the top with powdered sugar.