Golden Crunch Cupcakes

Let's just start off with with a note to myself that not ALL cake recipes should be turned into cupcakes. I thought I could pull this one off, but it turned into the mess of all messes under the broiler in my beautiful muffin pan. It is currently soaking, but may be permanently ruined. Do not make my same mistake! I'm sure this would have been devine as a cake. The topping probably would have been nice and thick too. Some day I will learn. Despite my pan disaster, the taste was all there. The cake portion of this recipe is also near perfect, delightfully light and fluffy. Let me know how it goes as a cake!

Golden Crunch Cupcakes via Not Without Salt:

http://notwithoutsalt.com/2009/06/25/golden-crunch-cake/

Swordfish Kabobs with Avocado Butter

Swordfish is my all time favorite fish, has been for as long as I can remember. I'm not a big fan of cooking fish myself, but when I saw the avocado tag-teamed with the swordfish in this recipe I just could not resist. This turned out great even on my indoor Cuisinart grill. This is a perfect summer dinner recipe. Avocado butter is to die for! You can make the butter ahead, it keeps in the fridge just fine... no gross browning like guacamole.

Swordfish Kabobs with Avocado Butter via Nestle USA:
http://nestleusa.wordpress.com/2011/04/27/fishin-in-the-garden-marinated-swordfish-with-avocado-butter/

Lemon Roasted Vegetables

I'm always looking for a way to gussy up some normally plain veggies and lemon zest has been on my mind as of late! Perfect pairing. The original recipe for this was just for lemon roasted potatoes, but I thought I would switch it up a bit and add some less starchy items to the mix. I did use some red potatoes, along with red and yellow bell peppers, and leeks. You can stick with just the potatoes like the recipe, or switch it up with your favorite veggies. This is a great pairing for a fish or chicken dish.

Lemon Roasted Potatoes via Bon Appetit:
http://www.epicurious.com/recipes/food/views/Lemon-Roasted-Potatoes-364596

Apple & Cheddar Quiche

After realizing that I didn't bring my pie pans with me to San Jose, I tried to save the life of this quiche in a 9 inch round pan. Not a success in the vanity department. The flavor of the quiche was all there but the phyllo just did not hold up to the density of the quiche contents. Next time I would probably make this with a regular pie crust. I did use an applewood smoked bacon and an aged sharp cheddar. Those both worked nicely with the other flavors. Don't eat this hot right out of the oven. It's much better luke warm after it has been sitting for awhile.

Apple & Cheddar Quiche via Closet Cooking:

http://www.closetcooking.com/2010/12/apple-and-cheddar-quiche.html