RECIPES

CUCUMBER-MINT TEA SANDWICHES

1 loaf of party-sized Sourdough bread

16 ounces cream cheese

2 sprigs mint, finely chopped

½ oz.  Mint extract

¼ cup sugar

½ cup roasted English walnut pieces

½ cup softened unsalted butter

1 ½ cups of thinly sliced English cucumbers

Cream the cream cheese and sugar.  Mix in the mint and mint extract.  Add in the English walnuts, stirring well.  Butter the bread slices and place the cucumbers.  Add a melon-sized scoop of the mint-cream cheese mixture.  Serve cold.

BANANA PUDDING

1 stick Land O' Lakes salted butter, softened

4 cups milk

4 eggs

1 tablespoon pure vanilla

1/4 teaspoon salt

1 cup granulated sugar

1/2 box vanilla wafers

4-6 large bananas

Whipped cream (optional)

3 tablespoons corn starch

Blend the corn starch with the sugar and salt, mixing well. Place over medium heat. Slowly add in the milk and egg yolks, stirring constantly. When thickened, remove from heat and stir in the butter and vanilla. Layer bananas, vanilla wafers, and pudding in individual serving dishes or one big dish. Top with whipped cream, if desired.

Garlic-Feta Potato Cakes with Caramelized Onions

3 medium-sized potatoes, skinned and shredded
2 small Fuji apples, cored, skinned and grated
4 cloves garlic, grated
1 sweet onion, peeled and grated
1 tablespoon brown sugar
1/2 cup Sicily's Ranch dip (recipe below)
1/2 teaspoon  McCormick seasoned salt
1/4 teaspoon ground oregano
1/4 teaspoon finely chopped basil
1/4 teaspoon dried parsley flakes
1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper
1 tablespoon olive oil for frying
1 tablespoon Land O' Lakes butter or frying
1/2 cup Alouette crumbled Feta
 
TOPPING

3 Fuji apples, cored and thinly sliced for topping
1/4 cup Land O' Lakes butter for topping
2 tablespoons brown sugar for topping
1 teaspoon tarragon for topping
1 tablespoon apple cider vinegar for topping

RANCH DIP
 
1 package of ranch dip mix
16 ounces sour cream( Mix all well and store in refrigerator)

   What I do is heat a medium-sized skillet on one burner to caramelize the apples.  Add in all the topping ingredients over medium heat and let caramelize until deep brown. 
   In a large skillet, heat 1 tablespoon olive oil and 1 tablespoon butter over medium-high heat. 
   Mix the remaining cake ingredients in a heavy mixing bowl.  Pat out into 1 1/2 inch-thick potato cakes the size of a small pancake.  Place in hot oil-butter mixture and fry quickly to brown the both sides.  Serve hot with the apple mixture and shredded Feta cheese.