Birthday food recipes recap

Here's another look at my super cute birthday cake...

Thanks again to JennyWenny Cakes for another crowdpleaser!

I thought I'd better post the following recipes before it slips my mind...

I recently saw a dessert post on Mary's blog (linked after this recipe) which prompted me to tweak my standby lemon cream cheese bars recipe. No real lemons involved, haha. Seriously.

The blueberry preserves were an added "twist" to my normal Lemon Cream Cheese Bars recipe...

Lemon  Blueberry Cream Cheese Bars

Ingredients:

1 box of lemon cake mix
1/3 cup of vegetable oil
2 eggs
1/3 cup sugar
1 box of softened cream cheese (I used the Neufchatel which has 33% less fat)
1 tsp lemon extract
blueberry preserves

Directions:
Preheat oven to 325 F
In a bowl add the lemon cake mix with the oil and  1egg
Mix until crumbly
Reserve one cup of the crumbs
Press the rest into a 9 x 13 cake pan and bake for 13-15 minutes

While that's baking away, in another bowl mix 1 egg, 1/3 cup sugar, the cream cheese and the lemon extract until creamy.

In another bowl, mix up about 1 cup (or more, depends on your preference) of the preserves until it is easily spreadable.

I bought this particular jar at Trader Joe's; it was $3.99. I bought another brand (Bonne Maman) from Fresh & Easy and it was the same price.

Spread the preserves on top of the baked crust.

Carefully spread the cream cheese mixture on top of the preserves (you could use another flavor if you don't like blueberry).

I'm really anal and I hate anything touching the edge of the pan. Therefore, nothing goes all the way to the edge, PLUS it leaves a nice crust edge.

Sprinkle the reserved cup of crumb mixture on top of the cream cheese and preserves.

Bake at 325F for about 15 minutes or until cheese is set.

You will be rewarded by this lovely sight when you take it out of the oven...

I claimed all but one corner. I was actually nice and let Tatonka have ONE of them after he wheedled me several times and tried to make me feel guilty. I guess you could say his method worked, haha.


Here's my OG recipe
Lemon Bars (from my old recipe blog).

Here is Mary's recipe for  Strawberry Lime Cheesecake bars which is awesome because it is from scratch!

Another favorite recipe that I resurrected was my Mushroom and Bacon Pasta.

I used farfalle this time because it looked so cute.

This is pretty easy. Just boil the pasta according to the directions. In a separate pan, I fried up the thick cut bacon (I used half a package). Reserve bacon and set aside. I used 2 tbsp of the fat to saute one chopped onion and several minced garlic cloves (add however much you like)....I sauteed 1 lb of sliced mushrooms to the mix and added a splash of soy sauce and a quick grinding of black pepper.

Once the mushrooms have softened, I added the cut up bacon (I used scissors) and the thawed green peas...

Add the heavy whipping cream and stir to make sure everything is coated...

By this time, your pasta should already be done. Drain it and pour into a serving dish. Top with the mushroom bacon cream sauce. I didn't have any parsley on hand to garnish the dish, but I felt that the green was already represented by the peas, so no need for parsley!

Everyone liked this dish and I want to make it again but use a variety of mushrooms instead of just 'button'.

Here is another variation, the most "popular" post actually:
Bacon and mushroom pasta

Made the night before (which was a big time saver the day of) was my other standard recipe, Chicken Adobo...

This recipe is so damn easy. You have to be a total lame-o to mess up this recipe. The photo below shows my extra strep of taking out the chicken and letting the sauce reduce by nearly half before pouring it back onto the chicken. I don't like "wet" adobo" too much.

As with my previous birthday party food past, I am cheating once again and using an older photo of my chicken adobo, haha.

Here's an previous linke for my Chicken Adobo recipe (also includes a recipe for Ulang sa Gata, or prawns in coconut milk).


The following was a new recipe that I tried utilizing ingredients I already on hand as well as some gifted oranges given to me by a student's mother.

Orange Maple Teriyaki Salmon

Ingredients
1/3 cup orange juice (TC squeezed those fresh!)
1/3 maple syrup
2 tbsp soy sauce
1/4 cup onion, finely chopped
1 garlic clove, minced
4 salmon fillets

Instead of putting the marinade into a plastic bag as the original recipe called for, I just poured it all on top of the huge salmon fillet (from Costco).  You can let it marinate at room temperature for 15 minutes or one hour refrigerated. I chose to have it in the fridge for one hour (halfway through, I spooned more maride on top of the fillets).

Because I saved a step of not having to put the marinade and fish in a plastic bag, I just baked the fish at 375F for 15 minutes (or until the fish flakes easily with a fork).

Of all the salmon recipes I"ve made, this was by far, one of the easiest and tastiest. Since the marinade was substantial, it "steamed" the fish in the oven, leaving it buttery soft. The citrus flavor also permeated throughout the fish, making it quite flavorful.

I'm looking for another reason to make this recipe again!

As for the other dishes, those were made by my mom so no recipes are included here. All I have to say is that we had a bit of leftovers, even after our guests took some home! As my mom says, "It's better to have more than enough food at a party than not enough!"... So true!