Plum Upside Down Cake

How many variations of plum desserts are there? We're well on our way to finding out.. This time my childhood best friend was visiting and we whipped up a plum upside down cake - with only minor burns ensuing. The plums created a delicious pseudo frosting and the sponge cake was perfect.

Recipe adapted from Martha Stewart and Drizzle and Dip

Ingredients
10-12 red or purple plums
6 Tbsp. butter
9 Tbsp. sugar
1/2 tsp. cinnamon
1 c. butter, softened
1 c. sugar
1 c. flour
2 tsp. baking powder
4 eggs
1/2 tsp. almond extract

Directions

1. Cut plums into quarters and remove pits. heat 6 Tbsp. butter in a large saute pan over medium heat until it sizzles. Add plums and cook for 2-3 minutes.
2. Add 9 Tbsp. sugar and cinnamon. Cook stirring frequently, 10-15 minutes. Remove fruit with a slotted spoon and transfer to a baking sheet lined with aluminum foil. Remove pan from heat and save syrup.
3. Butter and flour a 9 1/2 by 2 inch round cake pan. Arrange cut fruit with cut edges down. 
4. Return syrup to medium heat and boil until thick with large bubbles. Immediately pour over fruit and set aside.a
5. Preheat oven to 325. Beat 1 c. butter and 1c. sugar until light and fluffy. Add almond extract and eggs one at a time, allowing to fully combine between each addition.
6. Pour over plums and cook 1 hour.
7. Let cool, run a knife around the outside edge and invert.

Peach Quinoa Breakfast Bowl

I'm on a quinoa craze right now. At first, I was terrified of quinoa. I mean, how do you even say "quinoa" ? As it turns out, it's keen-wah. Regardless, I'm a starch and carb-loving midwesterner at heart. Quinoa wasn't one of my things. Until I tried tabouleh, recipe to follow in weeks to come. Now, I'm on a craze and decided to have it for breakfast with some of our CSA fruits.

Ingredients
1/4 c. quinoa
1/2 c. water
1 Tbsp. brown sugar
1 peach
hand full of sliced almonds
1 dash cinnamon
1 dash vanilla
2 Tbsp. milk

Directions

1. Mix quinoa and water in a small saucepan and bring to a boil. Reduce to a simmer for 10-15 minutes until all of the water is evaporated. 
2. Fluff quinoa and move to a separate bowl. Mix in sugar, cinnamon, vanilla and milk. Top with fruit and almonds. Enjoy warm!

Guacamole (for a crowd)

My guacamole brings all the boys to the yard. (except that I broke up with boyfriend a few weeks ago, but he really did like that guacamole.) Anyways, my roommate used to say that in college and then demand I make guacamole. So this is my treasured guacamole recipe. I think nothing is better than a few simple, fresh ingredients.

Ingredients:
2 avocados
2 garlic cloves, minced.
salt
3/4 lime, juiced

Directions:

1. Peel, pit and mash avocados. Add garlic, salt and lime juice. Serve with chips. NOM.

Parmesan Crusted Pork Chops

A couple summers ago I was a personal chef for an elderly couple. The first meal I ever took them? These delicious pan-seared Parmesan crusted pork chops. And the recipe is practically fool-proof...practically, of course. I've made them time and again for various occasions. They're even easy enough to cook in a dorm/college apartment kitchen with a half-sized stove.

Disclaimer: I have no idea where my mom got this recipe, but I got it from her.

Ingredients:
4 bone-in pork chops
1 1/2 c. unseasoned panko crumbs
1 c. grated Parmesan cheese
1 c. flour
salt & pepper
2 eggs
1 Tbsp. lemon zest
1 Tbsp. ground sage
2 Tbsp. olive oil
2 Tbsp. butter

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 425. Mix flour, salt and pepper on a plate. Beat eggs and pour into a separate. In another plate, mix panko crumbs, Parmesan cheese, lemon zest and sage.
2. Dredge pork chops in flour until completely coated, followed by egg and finally Panko mixture.
3. Melt butter and mix with oil in a large pan over medium heat. Cook pork chops for 2 minutes on each side.
4. Transfer pork chops in pan to oven and cook for 20 minutes. (Note: Pork chops should reach an internal temperature of 150.)