Stawberry Shortcake Cake

Shortcake
1 cup all-purpose flour
3/4 cup granulated sugar
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon fine salt
4 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted
1 large egg, beaten
1/2 cup organic whole milk
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
Strawberries and Cream 2 pints organic strawberries
1 tablespoon granulated sugar
2 cups organic heavy whipping cream
2 tablespoons confectioners' sugar
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

Directions
For the cake: Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F. Butter an 8-inch round
cake pan, line it with parchment paper, butter the paper, and dust the pan
lightly with flour.
Whisk the flour with the granulated sugar, baking powder, and salt in a
medium bowl. Lightly whisk in the butter, egg, milk, and vanilla, just until
smooth. Pour the batter into the prepared cake pan and bake until a toothpick
inserted in the center comes out clean, about 25 minutes. Cool on a
rack for 10 minutes, then turn it out of the pan, flip upright, and cool completely
on the rack.

For the strawberries and cream: Set aside 1 pint of the best-looking whole
berries for topping the cake. Cut off stems & thinly slice the rest of the
berries. Whip the cream with the confectioners' sugar and vanilla to soft peaks [using an electric mixer] Refrigerate until ready to use.

To assemble the cake: Cut the cake in half horizontally with a serrated knife.
Place the bottom layer cut side up on a cake stand or serving plate. Fold a couple tablespoons of the whipped cream into the sliced berries and spread over the bottom layer. Top with the other piece of cake, cut side down. Spread the remaining whipped cream on the top of the cake and top the cake with the whole berries.

Cream Cheese Lemon Bars

Lemon Cake Mix
1/3 c. butter softened
1 egg
8 oz cream cheese
1 c powder sugar
2 T lemon juice
2 eggs
1 t vanilla
1/2 lemon grated

Mix together cake mix, butter and 1 egg.  Press into 9x13 pan.  Beat cream cheese until smooth add powder sugar, stir in lemon rind and juice.  Beat eggs with vanilla, add into lemon mixture.  Spread over cake.  Bake 350 for 25-30 minutes.  Cool, top with powder sugar and refrigerate.

Lemon Blueberry Cupcakes with Cream Cheese Frosting

Cake
1 package Duncan Lemon Supreme Cake Mix
1 package vanilla pudding
1/2 cup lemon
1/2 cup water
1/3 cup vegetable oil
3 large eggs (at room temp)
1 1/2 cup fresh blueberries

Frosting
16 oz room temp cream cheese
2 sticks room temp butter
6-8 cups confectioners sugar
1/4 lemon squeezed
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
2 T Milk

Directions for Cake
Preheat oven to 350. Add liners to muffin tins. Combine cake mix, pudding, lemon juice, water and oil. Add eggs. Beat with an electric mixer just until combined. Gently fold in fresh blueberries. Pour into prepared cupcake liners (or cake pans). Bake according to box instructions and pan size. Let cakes cool on cooling racks in the pan for 10 min. Remove from pans carefully and continue to cool until room temp.

Frosting Directions
Beat cream cheese and butter until light and fluffy. Add the powdered sugar, lemon juice, and extract, and beat until combined, add milk.

Adapted from Tip Junkie

Grilled Salmon with Avocados

3 tablespoons olive oil
1 tablespoon sherry vinegar
1 1/2 teaspoons honey
1 medium tomato, peeled, seeded and chopped*
1 1/2 teaspoons chopped parsley
1/2 teaspoon chopped fresh thyme leaves
Salt and black pepper
4 (4-ounce) salmon filets
1 ripe Avocado from Mexico, pitted and peeled

In small bowl, whisk together olive oil, vinegar and honey. Stir in tomato, parsley, thyme, 1/4 teaspoon salt and 1/4 teaspoon pepper. Season salmon with salt and pepper. Heat grill pan or gas or charcoal grill. Place salmon on grill, skin side down. Grill 8-10 minutes, depending on thickness. Turn carefully with a wide spatula and grill 8-10 minutes more or until flesh of salmon flakes easily. Place 1 salmon filet, skin side down, on each of 4 plates. Cut avocado lengthwise into 12 slices; place 3 slices on top of each salmon filet. Spoon vinaigrette over salmon, dividing it evenly. If desired, serve salmon on a bed of rice pilaf.

*To peel and seed tomatoes, cut a small X in the skin and place in boiling water 15 seconds or until skin can be peeled away easily. Remove skin, cut tomatoes in half crosswise and squeeze gently to remove seeds.

Per Servings

426 calories; 33 g fat; 62 mg cholesterol; 146 mg sodium;  8 g carbohydrate;  4 g fiber; 24 g protein

Stuffed Chicken

1 c. goat cheese
1 t dried Italian herbs
1 t fresh parsley
salt
pepper
6 boneless chicken breasts
1/4 c olive oil
4 cloves garlic chopped
1/2 c sun-dried tomatoes chopped
1 c heavy cream

Mix goat cheese, Italian herbs, and parsley; season with salt and pepper.  Make a slit down the side of chicken, creating pockets.  Spoon cheese mixture inside each breast.  Season with salt and pepper.  In a saute pan over medium heat, heat 1/4 c olive oil; cook chicken, turning once, 6 minutes each side.  Remove chicken.  Add garlic, sun-dried tomatoes and cream.  Scrape all bits off bottom of pan.  Bring to a boil; simmer 5 minutes  Spoon sauce over chicken.